


Anonymous Letters

by JayGwen23



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Letters, M/M, Some Humor, mention of soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-02-23 18:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18707485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayGwen23/pseuds/JayGwen23
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts to finish his final year.  Voldemort is dead and everyone is trying their best to move on, including Harry.  He just never considered how boring it would be.  Luckily he is pulled out of his normal routine by an anonymous letter along with a chance Harry had never expected to be given.





	1. 1 A Reprieve From Boredom

**Author's Note:**

> Characters and Harry Potter Universe belongs to JK Rowling.
> 
> I will continue to add more tags as the story unfolds.

**1 Reprieve From Boredom**

 

This year at Hogwarts, was...relaxed or at least that’s what Harry kept telling himself. With no Voldemort this year, no Professor Snape, even Malfoy occasionally nodding at him in the hall, it was...relaxing.

Who was he kidding? It was bloody boring is what it was.

He had never thought of himself as liking the thrill of danger, he didn’t seek it out, it just found him. But with this year completely dangerous and mystery free, he would welcome just the hint of something out of the ordinary that would need him and his friends to investigate.

It was midway through his eighth year and he was thinking it was more likely that he would fall asleep in class again than anything out of the ordinary happening. Many of the new teachers wouldn’t even call him out for it. He was getting special treatment up to his ears, it was annoying and if possible made him even more bored.

He received a sharp elbow in his ribs from Hermione, at least she wouldn’t let him slack off in class. Trying to stay awake, he leaned back in his chair balancing on the unsturdy back legs.

_Pop!_

The noise came from directly in front of Harry startling him enough to make him fall out of his chair. He clambered to his feet, embarrassed, but no one laughed at him. Harry thought he seen a smirk on Malfoy’s face but he didn’t laugh or say any smart remarks. It was a sad day at Hogwarts when you wished Malfoy would be a git.

Harry righted his chair and a single letter fell to the ground. His starved curiosity snatched the letter up as if he were a man that hadn’t ate for days and someone placed a pasty in front of him. He looked around, but it appeared like everyone had gone back to not paying attention to him. He cast a quiet spell over the letter to check for any hexes or curses attached to it, when none were visible he unfolded the letter and read:

_Dear Anonymous Reader,_

_I hope my letter is not an inconvenience to you at this time, my apologies if it is. I am sending this letter as a requirement for my Divination class. If you have received this letter than it is because the spell cast to send you this letter believes you to be my soulmate (not that I believe in such romantic nonsense, but an assignment is an assignment). We will be sending several letters throughout this week, be forewarned._

_Nothing is required of you other than to receive them, you don’t even have to read them. I won’t be offended. I’m sure anyone that is compatible with me would have better things to do with their time then read letters from, someone they may not have even met. But if you do read them I will try to make them short and somewhat entertaining. I will have to guess on what you will find entertaining._

_Until next time._

_Yours Truly, AW_

 

AW. Well Harry definitely thought this fell into the mysterious category. What sort of spell sent letters to your soulmate? Did Harry even believe in soulmates? He was leaning towards no and found himself agreeing with the author of the letter. Thankful of two things: that he didn’t have to write a letter to a stranger, it seemed such an awkward task, and that he wasn’t taking Divination this year. He folded the letter up into his pocket and tried to pay attention to the teacher.

 

As forewarned Harry received a second letter two days later, this time he was in the common room with Ron and Dean. The letter popped out of thin air, and fell into Harry’s lap. The same neat handwriting scrolled, _My Love_ across the outside of the letter. Harry chuckled at the sarcasm.

“What is that?  A love letter?” Dean asked, leaning over to get a better look.

“You aren’t getting strange fan mail again are you?” Ron asked.

“No it’s just an anonymous letter someone has to send me for a class assignment.” Harry said, unfolding the letter to read it.

_My Love,_

_As before I hope this letter finds you well and at an opportune moment. I did cast a waterproof charm on it just in case you were caught in a downpour or perhaps showering. I will be required to write one more letter, then we will both be free from this hassle. The teacher wishes the class to write something personal about ourselves, so that our soulmates can get to know us better._

_I think that is a violation of privacy and you will receive nothing personal from me. I did promise to try to make the letter interesting so I will share with you a hex that I have been working on. It is my own personal invention so I suppose that would meet the criteria required from the teacher._

_Stulidus with one straight swift wand movement to the left. No more than three fingers distance is needed. Once you have it down it is very easy to complete silently. It is a harmless hex that makes the person stutter on their words. Enjoy._

_Yours Truly, AW_

 

“Soulmate? What kind of assignment is this?” Ron asked, reading the letter over Harry’s shoulder.

“And you don’t know who it’s from?” Dean asked.

“No and the writer doesn’t know who I am. There isn’t really anyway for me to respond. So I just have to wait for the next one.” Harry shrugged and put the letter away.

“You are receiving letters from a stranger?” Hermione asked, walking in with Ginny. Ginny looked at Harry but didn’t say anything. She still wasn’t talking to him after he broke up with her, which he didn't’ think was fair because it wasn’t like they were that serious and he had given a legit reason. He didn’t want to be in a relationship right now. It wasn’t like he broke up with her then started dating someone else.

“It popped out of thin air.” Ron told her.

Great here it comes.

“Harry! You didn’t open it did you? It could be cursed and dangerous or it could’ve been a port key or something.”

“I checked it first.” Harry said. “It’s fine. It’s from a student for a class assignment.”

Hermione didn’t look like she was buying it. “What kind of assignment?” She asked forcing Harry to go into every detail he knew about the letters, it wasn’t much.

“If you get another one, don’t open it until I’ve had a chance to check it.” Hermione warned.

“Is there really a spell that will send a message to your soulmate?” Ginny asked, sounding quiet like the first time Harry had ever spoken to her. Maybe he should talk to her again. He liked Ginny and wanted to be friends with her. She was funny and smart and strong willed. He didn’t care for this version of her.

“I’m not sure, but I think I’ll look into it. Divination, you said?”

“Yes.”

 

The next day Hermione came rushing into the common room with a large book in her hands. “I found it!” She declared, to both Ron and Harry who didn’t know what she was talking about. When they just looked at her with blank eyes, she continued. “I found the spell that is sending the letters to you. I pulled up past curriculums in Divination and found a spell that they used to use all the way until the seventies by the previous teacher, to send letters to your supposed soulmate.”

“So it really is harmless then?” Ron asked.

“Yes. It would appear so.” Hermione said, sounding like she really didn’t want to.

“Let me see it.” Harry asked, holding out his hand. The spell seemed easy enough. “Do you think that we could try it? Then I could send a letter back and then they would at least know that I got theirs.”

“It seems easy enough.”

“It sounds fun. I might try it too.” Ron said, Hermione smiled but she looked worried. She was probably worried that she wouldn’t be the one on the receiving end.

The spell was simple with few things needed. It required a circle to be formed out of unicorn hair and the item to be sent to contain a single drop of the senders blood.

“You go first.” Harry told Ron. Ron didn’t look as confident as he had earlier and Harry wondered if it just now dawned on him that the letter might go to someone else besides his girlfriend.

He spoke the incantation and then placed the letter in the circle. It shone brightly then the letter disappeared. Seconds later a pop sounded and the letter landed in Hermione’s hair. She pulled the letter out and beaming opened it.

_Hermione?_ Was the only thing written.

“Ron!” She laughed and threw her arms around him. Harry was wishing he had wrote something better in his letter. Maybe the person was his soulmate and they were making jokes about it, when they should be meeting. He didn’t even know her name. Or his? What if it was a bloke. He didn’t think he was attracted to men, but the letter did seem like it was from a man. The handwriting was neat like most girls he knew, but it was very small and precise and seemed more masculine to him.

“My turn. I guess.” Harry placed his letter in the circle and it disappeared just like Ron’s only Harry had no idea who it went to.

_Dear AW,_

_My friends and I figured out the spell your class is using. It used to be part of our curriculum as well, but hasn’t been for many years, with the change of teachers. The current teacher only likes doom and gloom, I’m sure she didn’t find using Divination to find love as appealing. I took Divination for several years, thankfully I was able to quit it this year. I don’t put much weight in the class, nor the teacher._

_Hopefully this is the same person. I just thought about it and wondered if the spell might find one person more compatible, but then it might not be the same for the other person. We will see, because you said you had to send one more letter._

_I have not yet tried the hex you invented but it sounds entertaining and I can think of at least one person I’d like to make stutter through a class period. I will let you know how it goes._

_Harry_

 

The next few days seemed to drag by more than normal, waiting for a response to his letter. He did finally end up trying out the hex. He had planned on using it on Malfoy, but then thought about the last time he hexed him with an unknown spell and decided to try it on someone else. They had an unspoken truce after all and Harry didn’t want to be the first one to break it. He had sent the hex at Seamus instead, for being rude to Ginny. Harry figured he got off light, because Ginny was a second away from firing her own and she knew some mean hexes.

Seamus ended up stuttering all the rest of the day and Harry had gotten a chewing out from Ginny about how she didn’t need him protecting her and how Ron was bad enough. She looked so mad that Harry had been afraid that Seamus’s hex was going to be sent his way instead. He had quickly apologized and fled.  Whispering a shield spell as he went.

It had been worth it to learn a new hilarious hex.

_Harry,_

_That is an interesting theory about the possibility of a love letter triangle of sorts. I asked my professor about it and she confirmed that it has happened in the past and so therefore it is possible that just because one person is considered the other’s soulmate, that it does not have to be requited. My teacher rewarded me extra points for the insightful question (not that I needed them). That does not seem to be our case as I did receive your letter, but I’m sure you guessed by my knowledge of your name._

_I have found Divination hit or miss. Some of the theories are interesting along with the idea that you have to be born with the ability to prophesis the future. Divination can be taught, but the true ability to foretell the future cannot. There are few magical abilities that can’t be learned and have to be inherited and I often have wondered if they have any magical relation, when they seem unconnected. Parseltongue, Seer, Necromancy, Metamorphosis, even certain branches of healing magic have to be born abilities. But even so I don’t want to pass up on learning at least the basics of any branch of magic, one never knows when it might be useful._

_I will end with another spell. Pisces quoque. Arch your wand from left to right with a small upward tail. I won’t tell you what the spell does, think of it as your first surprise gift from me._

_Yours Truly, AW_

 

Harry’s friends seemed as invested in the letters he was receiving as he was. It was annoying that he had to read his final letter with his two friends reading over his shoulder at the same time. Hermione who was a faster reader didn’t even wait until he was finished to start commenting. “Oh, he sounds astute. The idea that those fields of magic could somehow be related, it is possible. I think I will do some research on it.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “Perhaps the letter was supposed to hit Hermione instead of you.”

“She wasn’t here when I got the second one.” Harry said reading over the end of the letter a second time. “You think it’s a he?” He asked turning to Hermione.

“I guess I can’t be certain, but I had assumed it was for some reason.” She paused thoughtfully, before chewing on her lip nervously. “Harry, it isn’t a big deal if it is.”

Harry must have given her a horrified look, because she quickly added, “And just because it is doesn’t mean anything. I have done some more research on this spell and sometimes the letters can just end up going to someone’s best friend. It doesn’t always have to be a romantic connection.”

“But we’re Harry’s best friends.” Ron argued looking jealous at even the suggestion that someone could be better friends to Harry then him and Hermione.

“A person can have more than one or two best friends.” Hermione shot Ron a look, that he didn’t pick up on but Harry did. She was trying to make him less nervous about the prospect that his supposed soulmate was a man.

“It’s fine.” Harry said. “It’s not like he is actually my soulmate. I don’t even believe in such a thing.”

“You don’t believe in soulmates?” Ron asked.

“No.”

“Then how do you explain the spell picking you and him out of all the people in the entire world?” Ron asked. He was a romantic at heart, he just hide it well. Very well.

“I don’t know. Maybe our magic signature is more compatible than others and it has nothing to do with our souls at all.”

Hermione blinked in surprise. “Harry that is such a clever point.”

“You don’t have to look so surprised about it.” Harry mumbled.

“Then how do you explain Hermione getting my letter? Our magic isn’t more compatible than say one of my brother’s or Ginny’s, I can pick up Ginny’s wand and it works better than mine sometimes.”

Hermione looked so excited that we were getting drawn into a debate that for once didn’t have anything to do with Quidditch.

“It could be.” Harry said. “Is there some sort of test that can compare and contrast magical signatures?"

“I'm sure there is. And you could be onto something. The spell is an old one and it would be beneficial to great magical houses to marry someone with compatible magic that they could then pass onto a child. Not to mention the amount of ritual spells that used to go on which would be much stronger with a magically compatible partner.”

Ron was looking between Harry and Hermione in despair. “Or two people could be meant to be together.”

“You really think I'm destined to be with the author of this letter?” Harry waived the letter towards Ron. “They could be...I don't know.” Harry almost said ugly but the person seemed too confident and put together and he realized he was picturing someone tall, and handsome. “A Slytherin or a crazy person.”

“Or they could be your perfect other half, balancing you out.  Strong where you’re weak and vise versa.”

“Ron that's so sweet.” Hermione flung herself at Ron hugging him. “Is that how you see us?”

“Of course I do.” He mumbled his ears turning red. Harry choked back a laugh, and decided to make himself scarce.

No matter what the reason for the letter sending spell choosing Harry, he was glad it had. It was beginning to turn the blah year just a little more exciting. Hermione had told Ginny about the spell, because she had asked, and then Ginny had told Dean because he had asked, and then Dean had told Seamus because they were friends and Harry figured they told each other everything. And Seamus had told just about the entire school.  So students of all houses and grades were completing the spell much to the teachers annoyance. In just a few days it was nothing for a letters to be popping into people’s hands throughout class. That was probably the real reason the spell had gotten taken off the curriculum. If Professor McGonagall's facial expression was anything to go by there would be a new rule in place banning the spell to weekends and after class hours. She wouldn’t ban it completely though, because in all the years Harry had been going to Hogwarts, inter-house mingling was at an all time high. And love seemed to be everywhere.

_Dear AW,_

_Hello again. I’m glad you were able to get extra points even if you didn’t need them. I told my friend about the idea that inherited magical abilities could be related and she has been researching it. She is a bit scary when it comes to research, but we did find a theory that could explain how they are related and why it could only be inherited and not taught. Having an ancestor that was the child of another species. Many of the inherited abilities can be seen regularly in other magical creatures that could possibly have a child with a witch or wizard. Naga could easily explain Parseltongue. Centaurs are known to be able to foresee the future. And there are a large number of unique healing abilities for a number of creatures including House Elves and Veela. The Metamorphosis ability was a stumper. The closest we could come up with was the Veela, they can morph into beautiful women, but that doesn’t explain the full ability that comes with being able to Metamorphosis._

_I actually had a friend that was a Metamorgi. She could change the shape of her face, her nose, and color of her hair. She could do some sick impersonations too. She passed the ability on to her son but he’s still a baby so how much he will be able to morph is still unknown, but he does change the color of his hair depending on his mood. If his hair is orange it’s going to be a long day._

_I know you weren’t wanting to give away any personal information, but I did have one question for you. I don’t really expect a response since the class assignment is over. You don’t have to continue to write me unless you want to. But I wanted to know if you were a guy or a girl. I’m a guy.  Probably knew that from the name Harry._

_Also I think I know why this silly letter spell was removed from Divination. The student body has taken it up and now everyone is acting love crazy. I’m a little mortified that I was the start of this letter frenzy. It’s all gotten really out of hand. People are moving on from letters, to meeting, to snogging in the halls. I suppose it’s a distraction from what everyone lost during the war. I think that is why it’s been allowed to continue._

_I enjoyed both the hexes you had written to me. The fish face hex was genius. I laughed myself silly over it. A girl in my house tried to hex me and ended up spending the rest of the evening making the stupidest fish face I’ve ever seen. It’s a good thing she’s a good sport otherwise I would fear to fall asleep._

_Sorry for writing such a long response._

_Harry_

 

Harry didn’t get a response for a couple weeks and he figured that was that. He was only a little disappointed, more bored again than disappointed really. No new hexes to try, no surprise letters.

Close to three weeks later he was surprised by a letter falling into his soup at dinner.

“Oh another letter!” Hermione snatched the letter up before Harry could. She spelled it clean and then handed it back to Harry.

“What’s it say?” Ron asked.

“How would I know? I haven’t opened it yet.” Harry looked at his two friends and then sighing opened the letter. They would just question him about it until he let them read it anyway.

_Harry,_

_My professor is allowing students to continue to send letters at the end of class if we so wish. Many of the students have gotten quite ridiculous over this entire thing in my class as well. That is part of the reason I didn’t respond for sometime, I didn’t want to hang back in class with a horde of fools. I did this one time and this will be the last letter I send. I have a reputation to hold up._

_Attached I have sent a piece of parchment I have been working on spelling. It is one of a pair. When you write on the parchment it will show up on the piece that I have and vise versa. As soon as what is written is read it will erase. Leaving room to respond. It will be a more efficient way of communication. I could write a page on my different theories on the relationships between inherited magical abilities, but I will save it for later. It will be more interesting to discuss with a more two sided way of communication._

_I will leave you with an answer to your question. I am a boy and yes I did pick up on the fact that you were as well by the name Harry._

_Yours Truly, Tom_


	2. P.S.  Maybe We Should Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the wonderful encouragement I received after the first chapter. I hope I can continue to write an entertaining story and I plan on updating weekly. 
> 
> With the parchment it may get confusing who is writing what. Harry’s writing will be in italic. Tom’s will be in Bold Italic.

Under Tom’s letter was a piece of parchment, blank except for a single word written in the same neat handwriting.

**_Harry?_ **

Hermione summoned a quill and shoved it excitedly at Harry. “Here write something back. I want to see if it works.”

Harry’s name disappeared just as Tom had said it would. He pushed his soup aside, wishing he could wait and do this later, but both Ron and Hermione would only follow him to the common room anyhow.

_I received your letter._

Harry’s writing didn’t look nearly as neat, his words angling up higher towards the end of the sentence. Lines on the paper would help. The ink dissolved, seeming to be absorbed by the paper, and disappeared. A few seconds later words reappeared as if written by the invisible man.

**_I’m glad that the two way spell held. I was concerned that the magic used to send it to you would interfere with the magic used on the parchment. It seemed unlikely, but sometimes magic can react to each other in strange ways._ **

_Yeah, no it’s working. I’m at lunch currently. What is your schedule or what time would be best to talk(write) you during?_

**_I’m heading to lunch now. I have a free period after lunch. After that I am busy until bedtime. Approximately 9:30. It is 12:15 here._**

Harry cast a quick tempest charm revealing the time and scribbled. _It is 12:15 here as well_ ** _._**

**_I will write you tonight when I go to bed._ **

_Alright. Look forward to it._

Look forward to it. Harry looked at the paper regretting writing the words, but it was too late. The paper sucked them up as fast as he wrote them. This wasn’t the same as writing a letter. Harry had been able to write a rough draft before sending the letters off. “Look forward to it?” He mumbled.

Ron laughed. “Smooth one.” He shook his head and went back to his lunch. Harry had almost forgotten he had an audience.

“It’s fine Harry.” Hermione reassured. “There’s nothing wrong with honesty.”

Ron hid another on coming laugh by taking a bite of a roll. Harry threw a grape at him and Hermione rolled her eyes at the both of them.

 

 

Harry had been being honest; he really was looking forward to talking to Tom. He didn’t know what this spell was all about, but he did know that this person on the other end of the magical parchment was a mystery. He wanted to ask him a million questions, but when he finally crawled into his bed and closed the curtain on Ron’s prying eyes. He realized he didn’t want to shoot questions at him, interrogation style. It had been a long time since he was able to just talk to someone, without being the Chosen One, The Boy Who Lived, or Harry Potter. He was just Harry and it was nice.

**_Hello Harry_ **

Harry looked at the parchment and the writing disappeared. He didn’t want to write back immediately but then he wondered if the words disappeared on Tom’s paper when Harry read them as well as his own or if they disappeared as soon as Tom wrote them anyway. He didn’t want to look desperate and it would be nice to have some time to think about his responses. He looked down at the paper debating responding or waiting and finally wrote.

_Hello. This two way parchment is brilliant, where did you get the idea?_

_**It’s a basic transfer charm. The paper is charmed to transfer the ink to the other parchment. Then I layered it with a second spell, a simple one that students use to pass notes. Once the attended recipient reads the note it erases. In this case I couldn’t really target you specifically so it will just erase as soon as it’s read by anyone. It’s merely to save space on the parchment.** _

_You sound like you’re good at altering spells. I wish that I was better at doing that, I had a couple classmates that were masters at it, but they always used it to prank and started up their own joke shop. Do you have a favorite subject?_

**_To alter spells you have to understand why the spell works. Most people, I’m guessing you included, don’t take the time to actually understand the spell you just learn how to cast it. I would say Transfiguration if not for the teacher, who plays favorites and since I’m not a favorite. I guess I would say Defense or Ancient Runes. Both for very different reasons. And you?_ **

_Definitely Defense. I had a teacher like that who played favorites and it made my potions class miserable. I wasn’t just not his favorite, but his least favorite. All because he didn’t like my dad. I used to hate him, but he’s dead now. It’s hard to hate someone that’s dead, especially when he died protecting students._

**_You had mentioned being affected by the war in your letter. Many of my classmates aren’t affected at all, sometimes it’s easy to forget about the war. Then I go home for the summer and the evidence is everywhere. I have a few people I hate, perhaps I should just kill them if what you say is true._ **

_Funny.  But it wouldn't help. I would still hate him if he had died without me knowing...lets just say I got some closure first. The war has affected my entire school. I think it will be a long time before anyone is able to forget._

Harry stayed up until close to midnight writing back and forth with Tom about magic theories, school, the war.

 

 

“You look tired.” Ron pointed out the next day at breakfast.

“I stayed up too late.”

“Were you writing to Tom?” Hermione asked. “What did you talk about?” She leaned forward expectantly as if waiting for Harry to begin discussing magical theory with her. That wasn’t going to happen.

“The war mostly.” Harry said. He thought that would shut down Hermione’s interest, but she only looked more so.

“Really. I didn’t realize it affected the other schools much, but I guess it would’ve.”

“He said it didn’t really affect his school, but he must be from around here, because he said when he goes home it affects him.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if parents sent their children to other schools besides Hogwarts, just for that reason. Especially last year.”

“I heard it was awful.” Ron whispered, looking down the table. It had made a lot of the younger students closer to each other.

“Some parents were too scared not to send their children here. The repercussions could have been bad if it was found out.” Hermione looked sad for a moment, then straightening her shoulders, changed the subject. “I heard they might put the letter spell back on the curriculum in Divination.”

“Really?” Harry couldn’t believe Professor Trelawney would be interested. “I figured they would be happy to see it go, with it interrupting classes and everything.”

“If they add it back to the class then it would be controlled and not get as out of hand.”

“At least that’s what they are hoping.” Ron said. “I should write George about this spell. I bet he could make some sort of product that would do the same thing, bet it’d be a hit. He’s always looking for things to build up his girl clientele. Girls just aren’t as interested in pranks.”

“No they aren’t.” Hermione shot Ron a glance, that said she didn’t find the trick quill he put in her bag funny. Harry tried not to laugh, which only made it harder for Ron to hold the apologetic expression he was currently going for on his face. Harry could see the corner of his mouth twitching against his will.

Ron cleared his throat and shuffled some food around on his plate. “I knew you would look over your essay before turning it in and catch all the misspellings.”

The quill purposefully wrote the words wrong. Making horrible spelling errors or putting the wrong word all together. One of the sentences had read Stur cockwise, with a glas rod.

“Yes, then I had to go back and rewrite the entire thing, instead of helping you finish yours. How did that turn out for you?” Harry had seen the grade, before he had adjusted the score that Hermione seen. It wasn’t good.

“It is wild that we are going to be learning how to make Portkeys in Defense.” Ron said.

“It does seem like a practical thing to have for defense. If things go bad to have a quick escape.” Hermione said, letting the previous topic go.

“It would have came in handy a few times that I can think of.” Harry agreed.

Hermione nodded.

“Of course it’s only useful if a place isn’t warded against it.” Ron pointed out.

“But as the professor said, most wards are meant to keep things out not in. Unless specifically done so. Like at Azkaban or specific areas at the Ministry.” Hermione said.

“Hogwarts.” Harry added.

“Actually, I think you can Portkey out. You just can’t Portkey back in and you wouldn’t normally be able to create one on the premises without the wards notifying the staff.”

“It seems dangerous to me to lower the wards on Portkeys, during a time like this.” Ron said.

“It’s only going to be for a couple days and they aren’t lowering them completely. They are just lowering them so that we can Portkey to different areas in the school.” It seemed strange that Hermione was for once the one not getting worked up about safety and Ron was turning into an adult. Harry supposed they all were. He didn’t like it.

They all walked to class together after breakfast. Upon arrival to class there was a man sitting on the professor's desk talking to him. Harry recognized the man as the new Head Auror, but had never personally talked to him. He had only just gotten placed in the position as the Ministry tried to fill in all the holes and the people in power shifted from department to department. Everyone trying to grab for the best real estate they could get.

“That’s Gregory Pike, the new Head Auror.” Hermione whispered. “He just got promoted a few weeks ago, I read it in the paper.”

“Wonder what he’s doing here?” Ron asked, his eyes falling on Harry.

“He’s probably here to try for new recruits.” Hermione answered, as if trying to reassure Harry that it had nothing to do with him.

“My dad said that the ministry can’t find enough people to apply for all the positions they need filled. I bet we will be seeing a lot more Head of Departments from now until the end of the year, all trying to sale why their department is the best.” Ron said, for once picking up on what Hermione was trying to do.

“Are you still planning on becoming an Auror?” Harry asked Ron. They hadn’t really talked about it since they’d returned to school this year.

“Not sure. It’s still an option.” Ron answered. “And you?”

“I’ve no clue, but I suppose I should start trying to figure it out.”

“We should all make lists.” Hermione suggested.

“Add making lists to the column of things I don’t want to do for a career.” Ron said.

Hermione swatted his arm.

“Class, this is Head Auror, Gregory Pike, and he is going to be helping us for the next couple days with Portkeys. He is also available to answer questions about first hand experience in defense.”

“Thank you for having me. I brought a list of spells that I think every wizard should know and be able to cast comfortably if anyone is interested. I can also give information on what being an Auror is like if anyone is thinking about the heroic field as a possible career after they graduate.” Harry felt the weight of the man's eyes on him as he addressed the class.

Portkeys were temperamental the class was finding out fast. Not even Hermione had been able to get her Portkey to take her to the correct coordinates by the end of the day. One unlucky students had even ended up in the frigid lake.

Class over, Harry and his two friends headed for the door. “Mr. Potter. Can I have a word with you for a minute.” At Harry’s hesitation Gregory Pike quickly added. “I won’t keep you long. I know you have other classes to get to.”

Harry really, really wanted to say no. But he was still thinking that he might want to be an Auror and he didn’t want to piss off his future boss. “Sure. I’ll catch up with you two.” Harry said, pulling the strap of his bag a little higher on his shoulder.

“Mr. Potter. I know that you have mentioned an interest in becoming an Auror after you graduate.”

“I’m still undecided on what I want to do.”

“That’s understandable. Your options are limitless, but with your experience and history I think that Auror training would be a good match. I wouldn’t offer this to just anyone, but I feel confident in offering it to you. I’ve talked to the Ministry and they are willing to let you sit for your NEWTS early so that you can begin the Spring Auror training instead of having to wait until the fall.”

“I’ve not began studying yet.” Harry said, feeling the slight panic that he had been getting on and off since defeating Voldemort. Everyone if possible was expecting even more from him.

“I’m sure a bright wizard like yourself could pass. And the ministry would take into consideration that you didn’t have as much prep time.” Was he saying what Harry thought he was saying?

“Er. I think I want to graduate with my friends, with the rest of my class. It will give me more time to...decide.”

“I understand, but there really isn’t any reason to answer right now. Think about it and we will talk again. I’m going to be here for a few more days and I will give you my personal contact information before I leave.”

“Yeah. Ok.” They never listened, as if no wasn’t in their vocabulary.

 

Hermione and Ron hadn’t gone far, they were lingering just around the corner. “You two didn’t have to wait.” Harry commented falling into step with them on the way to their next class.

“What did he say?” Ron asked. Ignoring Harry’s stupid comment. Of course they waited.

“He said that I could sit for my NEWTS early if I wanted so that I could join the spring Auror training instead of having to wait for the fall.”

“What did you say?” Ron asked, the tips of his ears starting to get red.

“I said, I wanted to graduate with my friends.” Harry left out the part about him insinuating that they would fudge his results for him.

“He could have at least offered me and Hermione the same thing.” Ron said.

“He shouldn’t have offered it to anyone.” Hermione said.

“You could pass right now Hermione. And we deserve to be offered a little special treatment too.” Ron argued.

“I don’t want the special treatment.” Harry muttered.

Ron rolled his eyes. “We know mate, but you’re going to receive it so you might as well just accept it and at least use it to your advantage. And if you get the chance you could try to get me and Hermione some too.”

“I don’t want special treatment either.” Hermione said.

“It’s not special treatment really. It’s earned. And you deserve to be acknowledged for what you did. Harry would never have defeated You Know Who without you. Only Harry gets offers to things he didn’t even ask for and you didn’t even get the internship you applied for.” Ron’s forehead wrinkled.

“I couldn’t have done it without either one of you.” Harry said. Harry couldn’t control the wizarding world so why was he feeling so guilty.

“I got a different internship. A better one really.” Hermione said. “Harry it isn’t your fault.”

“I don’t know how to…” to what, work people. Most the time he just wanted to get away from the people trying to use him as quickly as possible. “I could write you a letter of recommendation or something.” That sounded so lame.

“I already got an internship. I don’t need a letter.” Hermione huffed as if they weren’t listening to her.

“Or you could have Hermione write her own letter and then just sign it. She’d probably write it better anyway.” Ron said.

“I could do that.” Harry offered. “And if you want to sit the NEWTS early we can. I bet he’d let you sit with me.”

“I don’t really want to. It just would have been nice to have the offer.”

“We can work on a letter later tonight.” Harry said, shrugging.

“Honestly. Neither of you listen.” She tucked her textbook closer to her chest and stomped off.

“Wonder what she’s so upset about?” Ron asked, watching Hermione’s back turn the corridor ahead of them.

Harry shrugged again.

 

 

Harry plopped down on his bed. He just laid there with his eyes closed for a few minutes, enjoying the confinement and privacy of his bed. The curtains closed around him like a safe cocoon. He rolled over on his belly and pulled out parchment and quill.

_I’m so sick of expectations. You do something because you have to and then everyone only sees that. Well maybe I don’t want to be that._

He probably wasn’t making any sense at all.

**_And even though you try to prove that you aren’t. Do they believe you? No._ **

Harry read the response surprised. He had expected a million questions.

_No they don’t. And they don’t listen._

_**But still expect you to be grateful, for giving you their time and an effort you never even wanted to begin with.** _

_Exactly! I thought I was the only one that this happens to regularly._

**_No you are not. It happens to me regularly too. Also I’ve seen fellow students go through similar things with their parents, but I feel like it would be different if it was a parent. They do it out of caring. I assume._ **

_Probably depends on the parents. I don’t have any parents, they died when I was a baby._

**_I’m sorry to hear that. I also don’t have any. I wouldn’t wish growing up in this world without them on anybody._ **

_Did you lose them in the war?_

**_No. They just didn’t want me._ **

_Oh. Because of the magic? I lived with muggle relatives for a long time and they hated magic. I think they were scared of it. They would have dropped me off somewhere if they could have._

**_I don’t know why. That could be it though. I guess I’ve never really thought about it._ **

_We sound like we have a lot in common._

Harry chewed nervously on the end of his quill.

**_Yes it would seem so._ **

_Maybe we should meet. In person._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback always appreciated.


	3. 3 A Hop, Skip, and a Portkey Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer. My friend that usually reads over my chapters for me didn't get time to this week, but I'm posting it anyway.

Reminder.  Tom's writing is in  _ **Bold Italic.**_ Harry's writing is in  _Italic._

 

Harry fidgeted with the quill in his hand while he waited, the nerves starting to build and make him feel mental. What if he was some sort of disappointment or worse what if Tom was awe struck because he was the Boy Who Lived and everything was ruined. It had been his idea to meet, but now he was starting to think it was a horrible idea.

He felt in his pocket for the Portkey that he himself had magicked to return him to Hogsmeade in exactly an hour. One hour, was the decided amount of time. Hopefully it wasn’t too much. Harry felt the familiar lurch and he gripped the quill, that Tom had made into a Portkey, tighter as he spun away from his room to finally meet his anonymous writer. Tom had said that his school wasn’t warded for Portkeys, Harry would know for sure here shortly.

When everything stopped spinning he blinked, to see a boy tugging a shirt on over his head in a room way smaller than the Gryffindor rooms with only a single bed. When the shirt got pulled the rest of the way the familiar person let out a squeak and jumped back, tripping and falling onto his bed.

“What the Hell, Potter! You pervert.” Malfoy scrambled back to his feet, pulling a rob over himself so he wasn’t standing in just his pants and a t-shirt. Harry looked away and started apologizing.

“Er, I’m not a pervert. I didn’t know this was your room and I didn’t mean to come to your room. I don’t think.” Harry looked down at the letter in his hand that the Portkey had been sealed and sent in.

“What is that?” Malfoy asked, pulling it from Harry’s hand and reading it before he had a chance to protest.

“You took a Portkey that a complete stranger sent to you?” Malfoy asked.

“I wouldn’t say stranger exactly.”

“Potter how are you still alive?” Malfoy asked, shaking his head in disbelief. Somehow this made him feel more foolish than if Malfoy had made his usual snide comments.

“One doesn’t just take a Portkey someone gives them, it could have taken you anywhere. Especially when they are _you_.” Malfoy handed the letter back, Harry took it and shrugged.

“It’s not like they know who I am.” Harry pulled his two way parchment out and began scribbling with the parchment pressed against his knee, the writing barely legible.

_I think I landed in the wrong place._

“Sorry to startle you. I will let myself out.” Harry mumbled and made a quick exit from Malfoy’s room.

“Sure.” Malfoy said under his breath. Looking unimpressed as usual.

_**That’s disappointing. I’m sure I completed the spell correct. Where did you end up?** _

_Malfoy’s room_

_**My room is directly next door. To the left.** _

Harry looked at the door next to Malfoy’s his suspicion growing. Was this some sort of prank? They had said the letter was for school, the Slytherins may act like they are in their own world but they still go to the same school. Harry sighed. He’d come this far might as well take one more step. He knocked on the door before cautiously entering.

“Hello?” He stepped the rest of the way into the room, but it was completely dark. He lit his wand to find the room completely barren.

“What are you doing now?” Malfoy asked from Harry’s back.

“Why is this room empty?” Harry asked without answering.

“It’s always been empty for one reason or another. But mainly I think because the squid likes the window a little too much.” Harry eyed the window, but it was as empty as the room.

“Oh.” He didn’t know if he wanted to know what Malfoy meant by that.

“Are you finished snooping around the Slytherin dorms or do you want the full tour?” Harry was too surprised to form his usual scowl at Malfoy’s snarky comment, because it had been months since Malfoy had so much as muttered a negative word in Harry’s direction and Harry was more pleased than offended.

“I’ll pass. I don’t think I need to know what goes on in Nott’s room. He kind of gives me the creeps.” Harry admitted. Now he was talking in an empty room in conspiring tones with Malfoy. The day was getting stranger by the minute.

Malfoy smiled it looked different without the sneer behind it. “Probably a good idea.”

Harry didn’t dare look at his parchment until he was in the hall and hidden in an alcove.

_**I checked in Malfoy’s room and he said that no one has been in his room??? Are you having me on?** _

Harry could actually read the annoyance and anger in the words on the page. The handwriting that was always neat and exact, was written fast and the words darker as if more pressure was applied than normal.

_**I’m not humored.** _

_No. I took the portkey and I ended up in Malfoy’s room and then I went to the room to the left and it was completely empty and Malfoy said that it has been empty forever because the squid likes the window too much. I didn’t ask for clarification on what that means, but my imagination painted a not very fun picture. I assumed you were having me on, but couldn’t figure out why. Also I thought you went to a different school than me based off of well ALL our previous letters._

_**You go to Hogwarts?** _

_Yes! Do you?_

_**Yes.** _

Neither wrote anything for several minutes. Harry couldn’t wrap his mind around, if what this stranger was saying were true, what that meant.

_**I had assumed from previous correspondences that we went to different schools as well. What house are you in?** _

_Gryffindor. And you?_

_**Slytherin. Obviously.** _

Obviously. He should have been able to gather that from the ‘oh thou are holier than thee attitude’. Or the fact that the Portkey took him to Slytherin dorms.

_That still doesn’t explain why you are claiming to be in an empty room._

_**My room isn’t empty and I have no idea what squid you are talking about.** _

_The squid in the lake._

_**There isn’t a squid in the lake that I’m aware of.** _

A thought had come to Harry’s mind, but he wasn’t ready to acknowledge it yet. His hand sat on the paper and finally with a shaky hand wrote.

_What year is it there?_

_**1942.** **Are you thinking that there is a time bridge? That would explain a lot, but seems unlikely. I’ve never heard of this spell jumping time to find someone.** _

_There is a time bridge and the way my life goes I’m not surprised. I can probably even guess your last name._

_**Guess than.** _

_Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle._

_**What year is it there?** _

_1999\. My guess was correct?_

_**Perhaps. What is your full name?** _

_I’m not going to tell you._

_**Then I’m not going to tell you if your guess was correct.** _

_I don’t need you to tell me. I already know._

_**You assume a lot.** _

_Nope._

There was another long pause and then the tone seemed to change in the writing and Harry wanted to roll his eyes. Now that he knew who was on the other side all he could see was the manipulation in the words.

_**We are soulmates we shouldn’t be distrustful of each other.** _

_I thought you didn’t believe in such romantic nonsense._

_**Who says it has to be romantic nonsense? We must have a strong connection if the spell jumped 57 years to find you.** _

We have a connection alright, Harry thought. But didn’t want to give Tom more information than he already had and decided instead to have a little fun.

_Will you wait for me than?_

_**I don’t appreciate jokes at the moment.** _

_I don’t appreciate your attempts at manipulation at the moment._

_**Then I will try to stop.** _

That wasn’t what Harry had been expecting, but he felt like Tom was just trying to tell Harry what he wanted to read.

_I can’t give you information about the future._

_**Can’t you at least tell me how you know of me?**_  

_I’ve read your diary._

_**How? It is spelled so that only I can read it.** _

_Is that why it tried to kill me?_

_**Maybe. I am a private person.** _

_How old are you?_

_**Why should I give you information when you refuse to give me any?** _

_I did give you some and my giving you information could alter history, while you giving me information won’t._

There was another pause, while Harry figured Tom was on the other end trying to figure out how best to get the information he wanted.

_**15\. And you?** _

_19_

Harry tried to figure out when Tom opened the chamber and at what age he killed his father. He believed that was when he was 16 or 17. He would have to go look at the trophy room and see the year.

_**You’re old to still be in school.** _

_I missed a year because of the war._

_**I had assumed you were talking about World War II or the war against Grindelwald, this must be a different war.** _

_Yes._ _There has been so much loss and destruction._

_**War is such a waste. I hate leaving Hogwarts for the summer: the alarms, the bombings and food shortages. They are beginning to broaden the age of the draft there aren’t many boys left because they are all being taken to go fight. No one cares if a few orphans get killed.** _

_Do you care?_

_**No. I have more space and food and they were bullies. But at least I don’t pretend to.** _

_What if the kids that were dying were students at your school-your friends? Would you care then?_

_**Yes.** _

_Even if they were muggleborn?_

_**Yes. I have friends of many different sorts.** _

_Friends or pawns?_

_**It appears I have not made a good impression in the future.** _

_You could say that._

_**You shouldn’t let that affect our relationship. We have been getting along all this time. Perhaps we should go back to being anonymous. Continue to get to know each other for who we are instead of who we think the other is.** _

Harry’s quill paused on the paper. He didn’t think that was possible.

_I need to think. I will write you tomorrow._ He finally wrote.

_**Same time as usual?** _

_Yes._

Harry had known this spell was bollix from the start. Soulmates! Ha! Tom Riddle was not Harry’s soulmate, what he was...was someone with a magical connection or something, because Voldemort had marked him as an infant. That’s why he knew Parselmouth and why their wands were related, and why this stupid spell jumped 57 years to find him. Tom Riddle probably didn’t have a soulmate. The spell probably searched everyone in that year couldn’t find anything freaked out and finally ended up finding Harry. Harry’s classmates were finding love and friendship, while Harry got a fifteen year old, Dark Lord wanna be.

 

Harry had liked having someone to write to and now that he knew who was on the other end everything was ruined. He sat up in bed the next night, thinking about what he would write. He probably should just burn the two way parchment and be done with it. He hadn’t ended up telling Ron and Hermione about it. He hadn’t wanted to ruin Ron’s happy thoughts about the spell and part of him didn’t want them to tell him what to do. What if he was given an opportunity to change things? Maybe he couldn’t change anything, but shouldn’t he at least try. Lives were at stake. He looked down at the paper and worried. What if he made things worse? What if Voldemort made ten Horcruxes instead of just seven? Or Harry gave some clue that seemed unimportant only for it to be a major turning point in the war. Harry paused another second with quill to paper and then began writing.

_Hello._

_**I thought you might not write.** _

_I said I would._

_**People say lots of things.** _

_I guess. But I try to do what I say._

_**Good to know.** _

Harry cringed. That was the problem he didn’t want him knowing things.

_You never answered my question yesterday. Do you really have muggleborn friends or muggleborns that you think could be useful to you someday?_

_**Why is that such an important question to you?** _

_It just is._

_**What is the difference?** _

_Friends aren’t always useful. Sometimes they are the opposite of useful, but you care about them so you still want them around. If you are only looking at someone for their usefulness then as soon as they aren’t useful or you think they won’t be in the future than you don’t care about them anymore._

_**Then I guess I don’t have any friends. Muggleborn or other born.** _

_I see._

_**Does that mean that you are going to stop corresponding with me?** _

_Not if you don’t try to use me to get information about the future out of me._

_**I’m curious, anyone would be. But I won’t purposely try to extract information from you.** _

_Then I guess I won’t purposely hold a grudge against you._

_**What did I do to you?** _

_That would be information._

_**Don’t bring it up if you don’t want to talk about it.** _

_Okay._ _Then what should we talk about?_

_**You mentioned that potions was an unfavorable subject for you. I find that although not the most entertaining of subjects it is a very practical subject and everyone should be proficient at it.** _

_I agree._

_**Good. We are working on immunity boost potions in class this week. The level of incompetence is alarming.** _

Harry was alarmed at how much relief he felt as Tom fell into familiar conversation. He had thought it would be strained and knew it should be, but it wasn’t. It was easy.

_We never learned much about health potions. I’ve gotten better at potions this year without my teacher sabotaging me the entire time, but I’m behind and don’t think I will ever be good._

_**I find potions easy, but boring. The professor tries to make it more interesting with competitions and his constant talk about all the important witches and wizards he knows, but it doesn’t work.** _

_I have Professor Slughorn too. I won a potion competition once because my textbook was used and had notes written in the margins, which makes me wonder why the actual textbook doesn’t have better notes._

_**Professor Slughorn is still teaching? Maybe I should take more stock in potions. I always assumed he would die from poor health at an earlier age than most.** _

He outlived you. Harry thought, reminding himself who he was talking to.

_He does seem unhealthy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he outlived me. Could be the potions mixed with a strong dose of self preservation._

He already did outlive me too. Technically.

_**Only a crazy person wouldn’t have self preservation. Well and I guess Gryffindors. I wasn’t your horrible potions teacher was I? Because I’ve been told I am a great teacher.** _

_I’m going to ignore that jab and no you weren’t my horrible potions teacher. I think even you would be better as a teacher than him and no I won’t elaborate._

_**I wasn’t going to ask. What is it that you find so hard about potions?** _

_The instructions are always so vague and up for interpretation. Add a sprinkle of this and then stir clockwise at a moderate speed until the potion changes three shades paler, then slow your speed to a few gentle stirs every 15 to 30 seconds._

_**I enjoy your sarcastic humor.** _

Harry had time to think, great a fifteen year old Voldemort thinks I’m funny before Tom began writing again.

_**Potions need to be tweaked depending on each individual and the freshness and strength of the ingredients, but it also sounds like you need a better text book. I would recommend A Potioners Guide to the Common and Uncommon, you should get more exact instructions and it also has tables that will help with adjustments that may be needed.** _

_Thanks. I will look for it._

 

 

Harry was both thankful and annoyed that the textbook was as helpful as Tom said. His potion that he was currently brewing was showing the results too.

“Harry my boy. Excellent coloring.” Professor Slughorn praised, walking by. “Perhaps, turn the heat down just a smidgen and I think you’ll have an O on this one for sure.” Slughorn gave Harry a wink and then shuffled off to help a girl who didn’t look to be having as much luck with her potion.

Harry did as suggested and turned the heat down hoping he had adjusted it the correct _smidgen_. This would be his first O he received in this class all year. If Slughorn was disappointed that Harry hadn’t turned out to be the potions prodigy he’d hoped for, he didn’t say anything.

“Harry have you been studying?” Hermione asked, from the desk across from Harry’s.

“No. I got a new book though.” Harry held up the ancient addition he had checked out of the library. It didn’t look like much. Hermione’s eyes grew big.

“Harry that’s not…”

“It’s just an ordinary book. No notes and secret spells written in the margins. Tom suggested it and they had a copy in the library.”

“Oh. Can I see it?” Hermione’s worry melted away into curiosity. “Tom has been a good influence on you.”

“Sure.” Harry handed over the book almost dropping it when Malfoy chose that moment to walk down the row of desks to gather an ingredient he forgot.

“Potter. I see you haven’t been chopped up to little bits.” Harry rolled his eyes. Malfoy had managed to only sound slightly disappointed. “Did you manage to meet your one and only? Portkey mishap and all.” Hermione looked between them, a confused expression on her face that looked out of place. Malfoy smirked and watched Hermione out of the corner of his eye. This was a new low even for him. Truce was off.

“Harry! You took a Portkey to meet a complete stranger and you didn’t even tell anyone. That was completely reckless.”

“The Portkey didn’t work anyway and I can handle myself.”

“I’m not surprised that your other half would spell a Portkey so poorly that you would end up in my room at Slytherin Dungeons.” If only Malfoy knew.

Ron had picked that moment to come over, thinking Harry might need back up. His face scrunched up at only hearing part of the conversation. “What are you talking about?”

“Harry took a Portkey without telling us. To meet the person he’s been writing.” Hermione’s explanation only made things sound worse. Ron’s eyes got huge as he looked between Malfoy and Harry.

“Relax Weasley. It’s not me.” Malfoy made a disgusted look that Harry didn’t think was warranted. “If Potter was my soulmate. I’d kill myself.”

“That’d be tragic.” Ron said.

The real tragedy was that Harry would be lucky if it was only Malfoy, who he’d been writing. But Harry couldn’t get so lucky as to get only a gitty Slytherin pen pal, he had to get a gitty, evil, mass murder for his pen pal.

“Why am I even talking to any of you?” Malfoy asked out loud and then spun on his heels and flounced away.

“Do us a favor and in the future don’t.” Ron muttered. Ron held the scowl on his face until Malfoy was out of sight and then turned back to Harry, his expression changing into a wide eyed look of curiosity. “Did you really Portkey into Malfoy’s room?”

Harry nodded. Malfoy hadn’t been that bad until today, perhaps he had time to think and didn’t want to look like he was going soft.

“Tell me he was doing something humiliating?” Ron pleaded.

“No he was in the middle of changing. I bout gave him a heart attack.”

“Harry you can’t just Portkey into people’s rooms.” Hermione scolded as if that had been his plan. Well it was, only the person was supposed to be expecting him. What if the Portkey had worked some how and transported him back in time and he had landed in Tom Riddle’s room. Harry would be the one to have a heart attack.

“I didn’t mean to. The Portkey didn’t work and I got sent to the wrong place entirely.”

“So you really tried to meet your soulmate then?” Ron smirked looking smug that Harry was coming around to see things his way.

“He’s not my soulmate.” Harry corrected, more forcefully than he meant to. He was not claiming Tom as his soulmate. Not in a thousand years.

“Are you going to try meeting him again?” Ron asked, ignoring Hermione’s elbow in his side.

“No. We were both kind of glad it didn’t work. Think we will stick to writing only.” Unless time travel becomes and option. And then still no.

“If you change your mind. Promise us you will tell us first.” Hermione gave her potion a few stirs.

“Do you think he messed the Portkey up on purpose?”

Harry was saved from having to discuss this topic anymore by Professor Slughorn. “Mr. Weasley. I suggest you get back to your own potion, before it’s ruined beyond repair.”

Ron turned to see his potion smoking and starting to bubble over the edge.

“Yeee.” Ron scrambled back to his potion. He wouldn’t be getting anything close to an O.

 

 

Later that day Harry returned to his room tired.  He was thankful for the extra free period this year. He was still completely unsure if he was doing the right thing by continuing corresponding with past Tom Riddle.  He had almost asked Ron and Hermione twice their opinion, but then stopped himself.  This was something he needed to do himself if he was going to.

_**I know it’s not our usual time to write, but I am in need of distraction.** _

_I could use one myself as well._

_**I didn’t expect you to respond.** _

_I have a free period._

_**I’m in class, but we are reading and I’ve already read ahead and don’t need to read it again.** _

_That potions book was actually really helpful. My potion turned out better than most, just a little thick, but the Professor said it’d be an O._

_**What potion were you making?** _

_A weight loss potion._

_**I’m not aware of that being on our curriculum.** _

Harry smiled to himself as he wondered how gullible Tom was.

_Oh yeah. It’s real popular. One of Slughorn’s students actually invented it. Supposedly he used to be really overweight. Is that true?_

_**He’s a whale.** _

_Not anymore he’s fit as a fiddle. It’s a wild potion. The student who invented it made more pounds then the inventor of Pepper-up._

_**Since you can’t see me. I will tell you that I am rolling my eyes at you. Do you really think I would believe such nonsense?** _

_Not really but I bet you were distracted for a moment._

_**I was. And I might have believed you if not for the fact that you said the textbook helped, meaning that the potion you made was most likely in it.** _

_You’re a regular Sherlock Holmes._

_**I’m going to assume that was a compliment.** _

_Sherlock Holmes is a muggle book, about a detective that solves cases through the power of observation._

_**A fiction I presume.** _

_Yes._

_**Muggles are the opposite of observant. And I don’t appreciate being compared to a muggle, fictional or other.** _

_For just a second I forgot who I was talking to. Muggle hater number one._

_**That seems to be the thing to do around here. I should know.** _

_Do you get flack for your blood status?_

_**Not twice from the same person.** _

_You can’t see me so I’ll tell you. I’m rolling my eyes._

_**Doesn’t keep them from talking behind my back.** _

Harry could almost see the pouting.

_Isn’t that what Slytherins do? Something like if their talking about you that means you’re important enough to....I’ve really no idea how the rest goes._

_**I get the point of what you’re attempting to say, but I don’t like talking behind people’s back. I would rather someone say something to my face. Then I’d hex them and we could move on.** _

_You’re a Gryffindor at heart._

_That’s worse then comparing me to a muggle._

Harry was surprised when a laugh slipped out.

_It doesn’t matter what your blood status, house, competence. People will always talk behind your back. I’ve had people whispering behind my back my entire life. And…_

Harry was going to say ignore it. That’s what everyone always told him and that’s what he usually ended up doing but.

_And it bloody stinks. I hate it when people talk behind my back too. It’s stupid._

_**Cowards.** _

_The worst is when they pretend to be your friend._

_**Pretending to be someone’s friend is good networking. But I at least have the decency to do a better job of it. It wouldn’t do to be caught being fake friendly. Not only are they cowards they are incompetent. Which I can’t stand. They are a disgrace.** _

_Are you ever real friendly?_

_**Yes. Have I not been friendly to you?** _

_I suppose._

_**I like helping people. I just also like it when they realize I am superior them.** _

_So you think you are better than me?_

_**At potions? Most definitely.** _

_I agree with you on that one._

_**Looks like we are going to start doing something in class. I have to go. Thank you for the distraction.** _

_Talk to you later._

Harry looked down at his paper and realized he was smiling. The smile fell from his face as he continued to scowl at the parchment for several minutes. It was just a little too easy to talk to Tom. This was how Ginny got sucked into writing in that diary and later Harry himself when he found it in the toilet. Tom was dangerous and if not now then he would become dangerous.  Harry needed to remember that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments, questions, and critiquing welcome.


	4. 4 Pen Pals With the Dark Lord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was extremely hard for me to write for some reason. I didn't know if I would get it done and if I would like it when it was done, but I am satisfied with how it turned out. I hope everyone that reads agrees. I also want to thank crystallocks122 for being a beta for me this chapter even though I got the chapter to them late.

“Harry, are you okay?” Hermione’s voice pulled Harry out of his thoughts. His brain felt like it was being pulled in about five directions at all times.

“What?” He adjusted his glasses and focused on his friend across the breakfast table.

“You seem upset about something.” Hermione lowered her voice and leaned in, making their conversation private.

“Upset? No, no I’m just…” Just what? Contemplating changing history, that’s all. “Got a lot on my mind.”

Hermione nodded her understanding, but her forehead was still slightly scrunched with a single line of worry. “Harry.” She began, pausing as if wanting to say something just right.

Never a good sign.

“I know I’m not really one to talk, because well I overthink everything and take my schooling serious, more than most. But that’s how I make decisions.” Hermione patted her chest emphasizing ‘I’. “But you Harry, you’ve always followed your instincts. And it’s gotten you far. Maybe you are overthinking your future and should listen to what your instincts are telling you. Careers are important, but they aren’t everything and if you don’t like one, you can always change it.”

So that’s what she thought he was deep in thought about. It was one of the things pulling on his mind, but he had a few other big decisions up there as well. But perhaps her advice still held and he needed to follow his instincts about Tom. Harry opened his mouth to thank Hermione for the sound advice, but was cut off.

“Mr. Potter.” The new DA professor was standing behind Harry. He looked young and pale and Harry wondered if the curse was still in place sucking the life out of the teacher. He was proficient. Certainly more than most of the past teachers, but Harry had hoped for better with the school reopening. “Headmistress McGonagall wished me to tell you that she wanted you to meet with her in her office this morning before classes. She will write you a pass if you are late.”

“Er. Thank you Professor Johansen.” Professor Johansen gave a short nod before leaving Harry back to his breakfast.

“I’ll see you in class then.” Harry grabbed up his school bag. “Thanks for the advice, Hermione.”

Hermione looked almost embarrassed when she smiled up at him. “See you in class.”

Hermione was apparently not the only one feeling the need to give Harry advice that day. Harry must have had a sign taped to his forehead that read “I’ve no clue. Please help.” In McGonagall's office, she wanted to give him some information on his Wizengamot seats and how voting worked and also discuss the Potter properties. Harry was thankful because he hadn’t really known about all that, but that just filled his head up with more to think about. Before he had left, he got the nerve up to ask about Tom, who was never far from the front of Harry’s thoughts.

“Headmistress, um, I was wondering.” Harry’s throat felt dry.

“Go ahead, Mr. Potter.”

“You went to school with Tom Riddle, didn’t you?” That clearly wasn’t what the Headmistress was expecting. Her eyebrows rose up into her hairline, but she covered up her surprise quickly.

“That is correct, Mr. Potter.”

“I just have been thinking lately, wondering more about what he was like at school, before he got wrapped up in dark magic and such.”

“I really didn’t know him well. He was a prefect and if I recall, he was always polite to me, despite the house rivalry that was going on even back then.”

“I was just wondering, if he hadn’t made the horcruxes or done so much dark magic, would he have turned out normal.”

“It is a common thought that dark magic changes a person, but it is not proven. It could easily be that it takes a certain person to do dark magic and as witches and wizards, magic is a part of us, a part of who we are. You know this, Mr. Potter.” Harry nodded.

“I wouldn’t feel guilty, Mr. Potter. You did what you had to and in the end, we are the choices we make.”

“Thank you Prof...I mean Headmistress, for taking the time.”

“My door is always open to all the students.”

 

Harry made it to his Transfiguration class only a few minutes late, to find that today they were having a visitor. Like with Defense, the visitor was from the ministry and there to recruit. Unlike with Defense, they were there to recruit for all departments and the period turned into career counseling. Harry left the class feeling more confused about what he wanted to do after graduation than ever. He almost feigned sickness when he made it to Herbology to find yet another guest speaker. At least she hadn’t been from the ministry. Apparently St. Mungo’s was also short staffed in all departments.

 

 _I’m exhausted._ The messy scribbling of his words a sign to show just how tired he was.

_**Do you want to go to sleep?** _

_I can talk for awhile. It will help me unwind._

_**Anything interesting happen today?** _

_No. An employee from the ministry came today to recruit. I now know more about Veela rights than I ever needed to. He got off on a long, long tangent. Then in my next class, an employee from St. Mungo’s did her best to explain the fulfilling career prospects available. I feel like the last piece of pie that everyone’s fighting over._

_**I’ve never known the ministry to be so desperate as to go searching for future employees. I could see St. Mungo’s doing that. Yesterday, a girl got hexed to make the pores of her skin have a sneezing fit. The trail that she left on her way to the hospital wing should be enough to deter anyone from the prospect of a career in the medical field.** _

_**I hate messy hexes. Why punish everyone?** _

_Yeah. I definitely don’t want to work in the medical field. The problem is I don’t know what I want to do._

_What do you want to do when you graduate? If you know yet. I forget that you are younger._

_**I would like to teach. At Hogwarts preferably, just because I like it here.** _

_Professor Riddle. It has a nice ring to it. Do you think you have the patience for that?_

_**Yes. I like teaching. It will be harder to have patience with the other teachers, than the students.** _

_I was part of a DA club for a short period of time and taught defensive spells to the other members. I really liked it. It was fun to see them cast a hard spell for the first time._

_**Perhaps you should be a Professor.** _

_I don’t think I could be worse than the new teachers they hired this year. And I know of at least one position that will be open._

Harry thought of Professor Johansen, he probably wouldn’t make it another year.

_**Is there anyone else still teaching besides Professor Slughorn?** _

_Not sure. Professor Binns?_

_**No!!! He should not be allowed to still be teaching and he can’t possibly still be alive.** _

_He isn’t. He’s a ghost, but he’s still teaching. Boring students to death from the afterlife._

_**I can’t tell if you are joking or serious.** _

_I wish I was._

_**I’ve never heard of a ghost teaching. Are teachers in such short supply that they couldn’t find a living replacement?** _

_I don’t know. He might turn into a poltergeist if they tried to fire him._

_Do you think it's possible to curse a job position?_

_**Yes. Through history, generations of kings and queens have been cursed, or the bride or the groom of an individual. They are positions. I don’t know how it’s done, but I’m sure it could be done on a job position as well.** _

_I might have to do some research on that_.

_**Why are you planning on cursing a job position? I’m impressed.** _

_No. I’m not going to curse anything. I want to counter a curse._

_**That’s boring.** _

_I’m going to bed now.  I know boring._

_**I was joking, in case you didn’t know. Goodnight Harry.** _

_Night._

Harry put the parchment away and rolled over to go to bed, feeling better than he had all day. Thought wasn’t even surprising anymore, but still unsettling. Tom made it too hard to think rationally about what he should do.

 

Harry still hadn’t told Hermione and Ron about Tom and honestly, Harry knew that at this point he wasn’t going to. He just didn’t think Ron or Hermione would understand his reasons. Hermione would be upset that he was playing with the past and Ron wouldn’t get that Tom was beginning to change. At first he had just wanted to prevent war and death, now, he was beginning to see Tom as a person that destroys himself as much as everything around him. Maybe he was being naive. Harry had known that Dumbledore had seen potential in Tom, what teacher doesn’t hope for the best for their students. But Dumbledore hadn’t known what Tom would become Harry did. Knowing wasn’t going to stop him. In for an ounce, in for a pound.

 _Are you there?_ Harry scribbled quickly before he could change his mind. Hermione had told him to go by instinct and that’s what he was going to do.

_**So you have decided to bless me once again with your words. Perhaps I should ignore you for a month as a suitable punishment.** _

Harry rolled his eyes at Tom being so dramatic. If he planned on ignoring Harry, he wouldn’t have responded, he would have just done it.

_I have decided I want to tell you something important and I needed time to think about it._

_**You could have told me so that I wouldn’t be annoyed.** _

_Yes I could have and probably should have, but that’s not how my mind works._

_**What is so important that it took you two days to think about it?** _

_I want to tell you something about the future that I think you should know. So that you won’t make the same mistake._

There was a long pause, as if Tom was thinking about how to respond. Harry knew he had wanted information ever since he found out Harry was from the future, but had kept to his word and not asked.  Much.

_**Why?** _

_For a large number of reasons, but mainly because I don’t want to see you become insane. You have more potential than that. I hope._

_**I am insane?** _

_Were insane. You're dead now._

_**I don’t believe you.** _

_Why would I lie?_

_Listen, I know more about you than you think and I know you have a fear of death and want to be immortal, but trust me when I say there are worse things than dying._

_**You don’t know me as well as you think. I don’t fear death.** _

_You don’t?_

_**No. Death should fear me.** _

_Then, why chase immortality?_

_**Because I don’t think I can achieve everything I want to in just a single life time. It would take at least three to read all the books I want to read.** _

_Merlin, help me! You are saying you want to be immortal so you can get a chance to read more books?!_

_**Along with other things.** _

_That makes me feel better about telling you this. There is a way to tie part of your soul to an object so that you can return, but it doesn’t actually keep you from dying it just keeps part of your soul alive._

_**Horcruxes. I’ve read about them.** _

_Of course you have. They don’t work very well because when the person dies it leaves the person bodiless and powerless. And splitting the soul makes the person mentally unstable. So don’t do it. There are better ways to achieve a longer life without weakening yourself to that extent and losing your mind._

_**Like what?** _

_Creating a philosopher’s stone._

**_There has only been one wizard in history that has been able to successfully create a philosopher's stone and only after a lifetime worth of research._ **

_So you don’t think you can make one._

_**I didn’t say that. I’m saying that I’m not sure if I want to devote my life to it.** _

_You could become a vampire._

_I don’t want to drink blood. That is GROSS. And they are seen as inferior and non-human. No one would take me seriously._

_True. Well you are the smart one. Think of something else. Just not horcruxes, they don’t work and not even if you make more than one or several._

_**I will need to do some research.** _

_I will do some too. Do you believe me? About the horcruxes._

_**Yes. There isn’t much on them because of the controversy around them, but I have read about a case where it caused insanity, but she was already unstable to begin with. I was going to do more research before considering it.** _

Harry might have made a huge mistake, but he knew that if he didn’t take a chance, he wouldn’t be able to change anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is commenting and leaving Kudos. It really helps inspire me to keep updating weekly. :D


	5. 5 Changing History

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to thank Crystallocks122 for being a beta for this chapter. Helped me correct so many grammar mistakes so hopefully this chapter is the best chapter yet.

Harry hit the library, only this time, he hit it without his two nosy friends that he didn’t think would agree with Harry’s current plan to help Tom live longer without horcruxes. So far, he had found zilch.

“Tom is having quite the impact on you.” Hermione pointed out.

Harry tried to hide the book he was reading about unorthodox potions under a decoy book about animagus transformation, so she wouldn’t see it.

“Who’s Tom?” Ginny asked, appearing from behind Hermione.

“No one.” Harry quickly answered, while Hermione said, “Harry’s friend from that silly soulmate spell.”

Harry felt his face turn red, the last thing he needed was for it to get around the school that his soulmate was a male. “He’s not my soulmate. I don’t even like him like that.” Harry wasn’t even sure he liked him at all some days.

“I don’t know. The spell seems to be getting it right for a lot of people.” Ginny said, giving Harry a smile for the first time this year. Harry wondered who was on the other end of the spell for Ginny.

“Like I said before, Harry, it doesn’t have to be romantic.”

Harry laughed, “It’s definitely not.” The thought of being romantic with Tom was wrong in so many ways.

“No one is saying it is.” Hermione said.

Ginny gave Harry an even bigger smile. “Maybe it just gives us what we need most at the time. You said you weren’t ready for a relationship, so you got a friend instead.”

“Maybe.” Harry agreed, not pointing out that Tom was the one to send the letter first. Not that he didn’t think that Tom needed a friend, he needed a lot of things, psychological help being one of them. And Harry was reading up, trying to help him and willing to tell Hermione and Ginny anything they wanted to hear, so that he could get on with it. What did that say about him?

Harry’s reading found nothing of much use. He had found a few theories on potions believed to extend life, but they didn’t sound hopeful.

_Did you find anything?_ Harry asked, once he was in bed.

**_Not yet. You?_ **

_Nothing promising. Yet._

A minute went by with neither one of them writing anything.

_I’m getting tired of trying to explain to people that we have nothing romantic going on. Are you having a similar problem?_

**_No. My classmates know to leave my business alone._ **

_So they don’t know that the letter you sent went to a guy._

_**It’s none of their business. Are your classmates giving you a hard time about it? I know a few hexes that might get them off your back.** _

_No. They are all very supportive. And very annoying._

**_I know a few hexes for those sort of people too._ **

_They are my friends and I’m not going to hex them._

**_I don’t hex my friends. I hex other people around my friends so that they know what I’m capable of and that it is a good idea to continue being my friend._ **

_I don’t want to intimidate my friends._

**_Sweet words can gain you a lot. Sweet words and a hex can gain you even more._ **

_I’m not hexing anyone._

**_Suit yourself._ **

_If I need a good hex, I will keep you in mind._

Harry rolled his eyes. Why was he still even writing to him? And why was he more humored than disturbed by their conversations?

**_I am very attractive. You’d be lucky to be in a romantic relationship with me._ **

Harry just stared at the parchment. “What?” He knew what Tom Riddle looked like, but that didn’t make him want to be in a relationship with him.

_I know what you look like. I have met you before._

**_Perhaps my insanity made me less attractive._ **

_The fact that you tried to kill me didn’t have me falling head over heels. So I would have to agree._

**_And you’re still alive, I’m impressed._ **

Harry didn’t know why he was blushing over the compliment. He shouldn’t even be having this conversation with him.

_Actually I’m a ghost. That’s not a relationship killer for you, is it?_

**_I know a few spells for that._ **

_I hope that was a joke._

Harry was already laughing, assuming it was.

**_You aren’t really a ghost, so you won’t ever need to find out._ **

_You really are a troubled individual._

**_I’ve never met someone that isn’t._ **

_True._

**_Since you know what I look like, I think it is only fair that I should know what you look like._ **

The panic set in. A mess is what Harry looked like. Tom Riddle popped out of a diary he was cooped up in looking tidier than Harry had ever been his entire life.

**_You could send me a picture._ **

_I don’t have any pictures of myself._

Unless Harry cut one out of the newspaper and he wasn’t going to do that.

**_Then just describe yourself. I will use my imagination._ **

_I have black hair and green eyes and I’m about 177 centimeters tall. Skinny._

**_Riveting description._ **

_What do you want to know?_

**_Just take a picture and send it to me._ **

_Fine._

**_Good. I will be waiting patiently._ **

_You don’t have any patience_.

**_I know how to fake patience._ **

_Not the same thing._

**_Fine, I will be waiting impatiently. So don’t take an age._ **

_I’ll see what I can do, Your Majesty._

**_I see you know how to fake flattery. I won’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy it._ **

_Goodnight Tom._

**_Only Tom?_ **

_Yes. I can only stomach to fake so much in one day._

**_Goodnight Harry._ **

 

The next day Harry awoke in a good mood. He needed to track down a photo of himself. Hopefully a good photo. Did he even have any good photos? He needed to get some supplies to complete the soul circle to send it. And he needed to continue with his research on the possible potions for Tom. Harry got the solution to one of his tasks, along with a surprise that came in the form of a blinding flash of light.

“That should be a good one, Harry.” Colin Creevey peeked around his camera giving Harry a broad grin and a wave.

“Colin!” Harry exclaimed, “you are alive.”

“Thanks to you. You shielded me from that rock collapse.”

“I did?” Colin had died during the battle of Hogwarts, along with so many more. If Colin was alive, did that mean others could be too?

“Of course, Harry. Are you ok?” Colin put his camera down and was now giving Harry a worried look.

“I’m great!” Harry felt great. He had saved someone’s life, he had changed something. “I’ve got to go check on a few things.” Harry turned to leave, but then stopped. “Can I have a copy of that picture?”

“Of course, Harry.” Colin agreed, looking pleased again.

“And maybe a copy of a few of the others that you think are the best.” It wouldn’t hurt to have options.

“Really? Sure thing, Harry.”

“Thanks.”

Harry rushed down to the Hall to see who else wasn’t missing. He immediately looked up at the teachers table searching for Dumbledore, maybe even Snape, but the staff was the same as it’s been all year. Harry scanned all the tables but he didn’t see anyone else from the dead.

“What are you looking for?” Hermione asked.

“Nothing.” Harry sat down, still feeling better than he had all year.

“You’re in a good mood this morning.” Ron pointed out from across the table. “Stay up late last night talking to a certain friend?”

“Yes. He wants me to send him a picture.” Harry scrunched up his face. “I don’t really want to, but I said I would.”

Ron hid a smirk behind his fork.

“Not that kind of picture!” Harry felt his face turn red at the thought, while Hermione whacked Ron on the arm. “Don’t be a perv.”

“I didn’t say anything. That wasn’t what I was thinking anyway, but it sure didn’t take your mind long to get there.” He accused Harry.

Harry quickly changed the subject. “Talking about pictures, did you two see Colin Creevey this morning?”

“Are you going to ask him for a picture?” Ron asked.

“Already did, but, did you see him?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it great?!” Harry couldn’t stop smiling.

“Er, mate, we’ve no clue what you’re talking about.” Ron looked at Hermione to make sure she was agreeing and that he wasn’t the one left out of the loop. The confused look on her face was all the assurance he needed. “You’re acting a bit strange this morning.”

“Colin is alive and it’s bloody amazing.” Harry grinned at his two friends, waiting for them to understand, to remember that yesterday he was dead, but they only looked more confused.

“Have you been tipping the bottle this morning?” Ron asked.

“No. He was dead, but now he’s alive.” Harry explained.

“Did you have those dreams again?” Hermione asked, beginning to look worried. “Maybe you should get some dreamless sleep from Madame Pomfrey.”

“It wasn’t a dream.” Harry turned to Ron. “How’s George doing with the shop?”

Ron shrugged, “The shop’s doing fine. Lee Jordan has been helping him out with it.”

The solemn look on Ron’s face was all Harry needed to know that Fred was still dead.

“I’m glad Lee is able to help out. The shop seems to be packed every time we go in there.” The bright blue sleeve of Hermione’s robes caught Harry’s attention for the first time.

“Hermione, why aren’t you in school robes?” Harry also noticed that her hair was tied back into a loose bun and that she was wearing...makeup? Hermione never wore makeup, except at fancy things like weddings and that one time at the Yule Ball.

“I start my internship today. I’ve been talking about it all week.” She looked at Ron for backup.

“All week mate.” He agreed, shaking his head and placing a supportive arm around Hermione. When she turned her attention back to Harry, he shook his head and mouthed, “I forgot too.”

“Oh! Yeah! I mean I knew you were starting your internship soon, but I guess I just didn’t realize it was today...time’s just been flying by.” By Hermione’s expression, she wasn’t buying it. “Good Luck!” He added, trying for a big encouraging smile and puppy eyes. He had a 50/50 chance of it working.

Hermione’s face relaxed and she waved her empty fork in his direction. “It’s okay Harry. I know you’ve been...preoccupied.”

“Have not.” Harry argued. Then realized maybe he should just go with it. “Er, I guess maybe a little.”

“A little! Mate you went to the wrong class yesterday thinking it was Wednesday.” Ron snorted and Hermione bit her lip to keep from grinning.

“It felt like Wednesday and I asked Seamus. I know, my first mistake, but he told me it was. The arsehole.” Harry muttered.

“Well. I have to run.” Hermione said, beaming. She looked so excited about her first day at her internship.

“Knock ‘em dead.” Ron leaned up and kissed her. They didn’t show much public affection, but Harry could forgive them this time. Because Hermione looked twice as happy and anything that made his best friend that happy was a good thing. Hermione took one more second to fidget with the buttons of her robes. Standing up, Harry could see they were high necked and professional.

“Do you think this color is okay? Maybe I should have just went with the black ones.”

“Black is boring. You look great.” Ron told her, eyeing her up and down in a way that Harry wished he hadn’t seen.

Hermione gave a confident nod, like she was marching off to war and turned on her heels, head held high. The moment only lasted a second, because Ginny, from down the table, let out a loud whistle at her and she turned two shades red, put her head down and scurried from the hall.

Harry left the table, knowing three things for sure. He had the best friends ever, no one else remembered Colin dying and that he hadn’t changed enough. One person wasn’t enough. He wanted to save Fred, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Cedric, his parents and Tom! But first, he needed to see someone.

“Come in.” Harry heard from the other side of the door. Headmistress McGonagall was sitting at her desk. All the photos of the previous headmasters staring at him from behind her, including the one he had come to see.

“Mr. Potter. What can I do for you?” She asked, arranging the papers she had been working on into a neat pile on the corner of her desk.

“Er, sorry to bother you Professor. I was actually hoping to speak to Professor Dumbledore for a moment. If now's not a good time, I can come back.”

“Now is as good a time as any. I was just leaving to go to a meeting with some of the staff.”

“Thank you Professor.” Harry gave her a nervous smile. This room always had that effect on him.

“I trust you can show yourself out when you’re done.” Harry nodded.

Headmistress McGonagall’s robes swooshed as she walked to the door, stopping with her hand on the door. “Mr. Potter, although helpful and lifelike, these photos are not the actual people they were in real life. If you are in need to talk to someone or in need of advice, you can always come to me.”

“I understand.” Embarrassment came over Harry that McGonagall thought he was going to Dumbledore for a heart to heart. “It’s really not like that. It’s just a question about magic and I thought he would know the answer.”

“Offer stands, Mr. Potter.” With that McGonagall left the room. All the other photos were alert in their frames looking down at Harry expectantly. Everyone except Snape, who was in his frame, pretending to be interested in the paint discoloration on his own frame.

“Mr. Potter. A pleasure as always.” Dumbledore greeted from his frame. The artist had done a wonderful job of catching the twinkle in his eyes.

“I had a question about time and I thought perhaps you would know the answer.” Harry heard a grumble come from Snape’s portrait, but Harry ignored it.

“I will answer if I can.” Dumbledore sat up straighter in his frame, eyes more alight at the thought of a challenging question. It was probably boring being a painting. Harry decided he never wanted to be one.

“Well, I may have, on accident, made contact with someone from the past and was wondering if something changed, would I remember the present as it is or if my memories would change to only remember the new outcome?”

“Quite a good question, Mr. Potter.” Snape gave a snort this time and Harry caught him rolling his eyes. “All theoretically, of course.” Dumbledore gave Harry a wink. “But changing time is tricky on the memory. The person that causes the change will be the only one to remember, because they will remember causing the change.”

“Will they also be able to remember the new unfolding of events or will they only remember the one before events changed?”

“That is dependent on how the event was affected and how much of a gap is between the original and the new.”

“I see.”

“But it is believed that the mind will catch up and eventually the new memory will be the prominent one in the mind. The other will seem like a dream.” Harry nodded thoughtfully, deep in thought, trying to remember saving Creevey, but so far, all he could remember was seeing him lying on the ground along with the other students who had perished during the war.

“And who is it that you have made contact with?” Dumbledore asked, looking as patient as always, the polar opposite of the headmaster directly after him.

“Oh, it was through a letter. I don’t plan on writing back now that I know they are from the past. I don’t want to mess with anything so serious.” Harry answered, without actually answering.

“That soulmate spell was a menace when I went to school and it should have never been allowed to come back.” Snape said, causing Harry to look at him horrified. What if they knew?

“Oh Severus, don’t you remember being young? It’s romantic and fun.” Harry doubted that those two words ever applied to Snape, no matter what age.

“It was chaos and trouble. It gave false impressions and when the fun ran out, it caused heartache.” Snape turned his attention back to Harry. “And I would hope that students today wouldn’t put any confidence in it.”

“No Sir, I think it’s foolish and everyone is being very silly about it.” Snape looked like he didn’t know what to think about Harry agreeing with him, but he nodded his head.

“Love is a beautiful thing. But a warning Harry, bad things can happen to wizards that mess with time.”

“I know Professor, but bad things have already happened.”

“You are still alive and have defeated the Dark Lord. Save us the dramatics.” Snape crossed his arms in his frame and sneered down at Harry.

“I was thinking about all the others that didn’t make it.” Harry thought that should be obvious. “Including you two.”

“Harry I was an old man and it was my time. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case for so many, but it is often the case that you can’t save everyone, no matter how hard you try or what you do. If you save one person, another is lost and so on.” Harry nodded. He understood, but he also knew he couldn’t stop from at least trying. He just wasn’t that kind of person.

“Thank you for the information.”

“It’s like talking to a wall, Albus. I don’t know why you bother.” Harry heard Snape saying as he shut the door.

 

 

Colin Creevey had given Harry a disturbingly large stack of pictures of himself. Now all he had to do was find a decent one and then send it. Harry was flipping through them when he came into the common room.

“I’m going to need help deciding which one of these pictures I should send.” Harry sat down, handing the stack to Hermione and froze. Sitting around the table in the common room, with Ron and Hermione were Ginny, Dean, Blaise and Malfoy.

“Sending out pictures to your fan base?” Malfoy asked.

“No.” Harry said, feeling rather stupid and trying to grab the pictures back from Hermione.

“Are you still writing to that person through the soulmate spell? Dean asked.

“I like this one Harry.” Hermione said, holding up a picture of Harry sitting with Hermione and Ron laughing, saving Harry from answering.

“I’m not even looking at the camera.” He said, taking the picture from Hermione for a closer look.

“It’s more natural that way.” She said.

“Ooh yeah, I like that one Harry.” Ginny said.

“It shows you have friends. No one wants to date someone that can’t even make a friend.” Harry thought about Tom admitting he didn’t have any friends and the fact that Harry didn’t want to date him. Ron had a point.

“Is he going to send you a picture?” Ginny asked.

Blaise and Malfoy’s faces lit up like Christmas came early. “I guess that explains why you were in the Slytherin _Boys_ dorms.” Malfoy said, an evil glint in his eye that Harry hadn’t seen all year.

“It was a Portkey problem.”

“It explains Potter following you around all those years, Draco.” Blaise said, elbowing Malfoy, who smirked.

“Do you have a confession to make?” Malfoy asked, giving Harry a look that said he would be understanding about it.

“No.” Harry said, giving them both a firm look. “Never.” Harry couldn’t keep from shuddering at the idea. “Gross.”

Ron held up another photo. “This one isn’t bad.”

“Why don’t you just have him look at a paper? You’ve been on the front page for the last three years.” Malfoy rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

“Because I don’t want him to know I’m in the paper. We are keeping to first names.”

“And you don’t think he will recognize you when you send him a photo?”

“He’s not from around here and he might not read the paper.”

“There’s a good chance of that. Most fifteen year old’s don’t read the paper.” Harry saw Hermione cringe and could hear Malfoy and Blaise laughing.

“This is the best. We should have hung out with the Gryffindors sooner.” Malfoy exclaimed.

“Sorry mate.” Ron said, looking down at the picture he was holding.

“I don’t read the paper Potter, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t see your picture at least once a week from across the table. Yesterday’s picture took up the entire front page. Unless he’s a blind fifteen year old, he’s probably seen your picture at some point in his life.”

“I can imagine the headlines if the paper finds out that Potter is having letter sex with a fifteen year old.” Blaise said, getting another laugh from Malfoy.

“You should send him a picture of yourself without a shirt. A topless picture when you are fifteen is the best.” Dean suggested, before laughing, the traitor.

“He’s going to be sixteen very soon and like I’ve explained a hundred times, it’s not like that. I’m not sending him a shirtless picture. Just a regular picture, so that he can put a face to words. We aren’t having...letter sex or talks of romance. It’s a friendship. We are only friends!” Harry stood up over all of them. He was never telling anyone anything again. No one could keep a bloody secret.

“I worry about finding a good picture to send to my friends all the time.” Malfoy’s remark got some more laughs and Harry even caught Ron straighten out a smile rather quickly and looking down at a few more photos he was flipping through.

Harry smiled back, which should have been all the warning Malfoy needed, but he wasn’t paying attention. _Stulidus._ Harry didn’t even pull his wand out of his pocket.

When the hex hit Malfoy, he looked surprised and tried speaking but all that came out was “Pppppotter. Wwww--” before he closed his mouth and gave Harry an angry glare.

Harry did pull his wand out now. “If I read anything about this in the paper, I will hex the both of you at every turn. You won’t get a spare moment. And I won’t even get in trouble. You are more likely to get detention for me hexing you.”

Malfoy didn’t say anything but he gave Harry a rude gesture of the hand.

“The only reason you are even here is because when school started up, they came to _me_ and asked me if it was okay if you came back and I said yes. I would hate to have to change my mind.”

“It-t w-w-was j-jus-st a j-joke.” Malfoy stuttered out.

“Good.” Harry said and left. He didn’t really think that Malfoy would go to the Daily Prophet, but he wasn’t so sure about Blaise and he couldn’t hex Ginny’s new boyfriend, so Malfoy had to be the one to pay the price. Hex one person to show you are capable. Harry groaned and plopped on the bed, his feet hanging over the edge. He kicked his shoes off and climbed the rest of the way in, spelling the curtains closed. Tom was probably studying or doing homework, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. When he pulled out the parchment, a message was already waiting for him.

**_I’m going to send you a picture too. It sounds like I wasn’t looking my best._ **

_If you want to. I will be sending mine soon._

Harry waited, but he didn’t receive a response. Harry had just sat the parchment down along with the picture he was going to send, when a pop sound startled him and a picture landed on his chest. The picture was the familiar image of Tom Riddle leaning back on a chair in his school robes looking just as put together and confident as Harry remembered. His hair a little shorter and a little messier being the only noticeable difference.

Harry pulled the materials he would need for the spell out of his nightstand, feeling a little better about his picture. He had just sent the picture off when he looked down to see another message on his parchment.

**_I hope so. When you receive mine, it is spelled to stay still until the spell is removed._ **

Harry had never seen a picture like this one before. It wasn’t a camera picture, but it wasn’t a magic portrait painted or drawn onto the paper either.

_What is the spell to remove it?_

**_What would be the fun in just telling you?_ **

_Maybe I will just leave it as a stand still picture._

**_You won’t. I’m sure you will figure it out._ **

_Gee and here I sent you a picture with no work involved. I should have put it in a box with a curse on it to make it more interesting._

**_You don’t look like I expected._ **

That was not what he wanted to hear.

_Sorry to disappoint._

**_I didn’t say I was disappointed. I just thought you would look older perhaps._ **

_The picture is a couple years old, but I really haven’t changed much._

**_Your hair looks like you just got out of bed._ **

_It always looks like that no matter what I do to it._

**_Magic resistant hair. Perhaps you have some giant blood somewhere in your ancestral pool._ **

_And it only affects my hair? That seems unlikely, more likely that I inherited bad hair genes, along with bad eyesight from my father._

**_That may be, you certainly don’t look like you have any giant blood in you. I suppose some wizards can be born with a natural resistance to spells and hexes. They are better at protective spells, and are more likely to be able to do Occlumency and throw off an Imperius._ **

_I’m good at two of the three._

**_Really! Which two? This is a very interesting finding. I wonder if wizards with resistance to spells have more difficulty with self transfiguration or other spells that are cast on one’s self like heat charms, healing spells, possibly even apparition._ **

_I’m good at protection spells and I’m able to cast off an Imperius. Occlumency, not so much. I’ve never really struggled with charms and transfiguration, but I guess they don’t come as quickly as other spells._

**_I bet you do have a resistance to magic. You should look it up and see what the benefits are and see how to hone the skill and better use it._ **

What a Slytherin way of thinking. Harry shook his head.

_I will. It does sound interesting and useful. I’ve been doing so much research that I’m in the library more often than Hermione._

**_Reading is a good thing. Knowledge is power._ **

“Harry!” Ron bellowed. “We’re going to be late to class.” Harry cast a quick tempus charm, showing they only had four minutes to make it to class.

_Sorry, got to go. Going to be late for class._

Harry stacked the parchment on top of the picture and locked it up in his dresser for safe keeping.

 

After dinner Harry went back to the boy’s rooms early so that he could work on waking up Tom’s picture before their usual time to write. It ended up taking him a good hour of trying to get Tom’s picture to come to life before he finally hit it with the correct spell. He had even tried telling it to move in parseltongue.

The first movement was a single blink of Tom’s eyes before his facial expression changed. Harry had forgotten the amount of confidence and malice that seemed to roll off of him. Perhaps it was more like mischief. Tom’s dark eyes gleamed for a second, then Harry’s mouth went dry and he almost fell out of bed in shock. Before his eyes, Tom began unbuttoning his robes revealing his chest and stomach, then running his hand not holding his wand, lower and lower until it disappeared down the front of his pants. Harry quickly closed his eyes and began shooting spells at the picture to get it to stop.

_Why would you send that to me?_ Harry wrote, unbelieving. Did Tom think that they had a romantic relationship? Was Harry the only one that didn’t?

**_I thought you deserved a treat for figuring out the spell._** Harry pictured Tom with a look of innocence on his face, completely fake, of course.

_Some treat. I need to go burn my eyes out now._

The silence he received was an ominous sign.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of those following this story. We are half-way done!


	6. 6 The Price of Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my Beta Crystallocks122

Harry had really done it now. Tom hadn’t wrote him back for THREE days.

_Tom. I was exaggerating._

_It wasn’t because you're unattractive. It’s because you are fifteen! It felt wrong to me._

_Tom, are you going to stay mad forever?_ _I didn’t realize you were so sensitive. I will think before writing next time._

_It’s been five days! I’m sorry._ _It was a thoughtful and fun idea, but I’m a prude._

_It’s me, not you._

Harry gave up. If Tom wanted to pout over something so silly, then fine, but Harry wasn’t going to grovel. He said he was sorry and that was all he could do. He put the parchment into his bag and met Ron and Hermione in the common room.

“Still having trouble in paradise?” Ron threw his own bag over his shoulder, looking at Harry.

“What?” Harry asked.

“Are you still having a squabble with Tom?”

“How do you know he’s not talking to me?” Harry asked, suspicious.

Ron chuckled, “It’s obvious mate.”

“You’ve been quiet and every few minutes, you are pulling out that parchment and looking at it.” Hermione added.

“Then you mutter to yourself and put it back.” Ron finished.

“You two should become detectives. You’re both nosy enough.” Harry mumbled. Why couldn’t Tom just get over it and write back already? How was he supposed to help him and save the people he cared about if Tom wasn’t talking to him and who knew what trouble he was getting up to while he was in this kind of mood. He could be searching for the Chamber of Secrets or working on his first horcrux just to spite him.

“I said something inconsiderate and now he won’t respond.” Harry admitted.

“You have to apologize right away. And he’ll know if you don’t really mean it.” Ron added.

“I did apologize and I did mean it. I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did, but I was in a state of shock.” Harry’s thoughts went back to the indecent picture and he shook his head. The spell Harry had shot at it had froze the thing and that was almost worse. He did not need an image of Tom in his nightstand, in the middle of pleasuring himself.

“What did he do?”

“He....” Harry’s cheeks grew warm at the thought of even telling anyone. “He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just I guess he’s more interested in me than I am in him and now his feelings are hurt.”

“Harry you can’t help how you feel. He will just have to accept that. Give it some more time and try again.” Hermione gave Harry a reassuring pat and led the way into the classroom.

“He wanted a nude picture, didn’t he?” Ron whispered, so Hermione wouldn’t hear.

Harry shook his head. “Worse, he sent one.”

Ron’s eyes got big. “He’s probably American.” Ron said, disapprovingly. “Bloody fifteen and already sending nude pics.”

“That’s what I thought. It was a moving picture too and now it’s in my drawer frozen and I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t want to let it finish and I don’t want to leave it where it is.” Ron started laughing and Harry joined in, realizing what a ridiculous situation he was in. Harry wondered if Ron would laugh even harder if he knew it was a fifteen year old Voldemort’s picture.

“Black it out.” Ron said. “Or send it back.”

“I don’t think he would appreciate me sending it back to him. I’ve already hurt his feelings enough.” Ron shrugged and sat his stuff down on the table.

“What stupid response did you give?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“Come on mate. It builds my confidence to know that I’m not the only one that puts their foot in their mouth.”

“That I need to go burn my eyes out.” Ron cringed. It sounded worse the second time around.

“Yeah. That might take more than a basic apology. We’re talking about chocolates and maybe jewelry.”

“I don’t think that Tom likes chocolates and jewelry.”

“Well you better think of something. Your window of opportunity is closing. The longer they stay mad, the more there’s a chance that they won’t forgive you, period.” Ron said, knowingly, as if he were some sort of relationship expert. Harry rolled his eyes. “It’s in the Guide I gave you.” Ron said.

“Tom isn’t a witch, he’s a wizard and I don’t think there’s any guide for him.” _How to woo your future dark lord. The guide to approaching and attracting Dark Lords for Hopeless Wizards._ Pretty sure that didn’t exist.

“No, but just tweak it. What kinds of things does he like?”

“Books?”

“Send him a nice book then, with a note telling him how wonderful he is and how stupid you are.” Ron nodded, “It works every time.” Harry rolled his eyes again and began trying to pay attention in class. Two days later, when Tom still wasn’t responding, Harry started giving more thought into a gift he could send. Hogsmeade it was.

Harry found nothing. He ended up buying some chocolates and was carrying them back in one hand to the castle in defeat. Along with a book he found on casting spells in parseltongue. Maybe Tom would find it interesting. He probably read it already.

“Harry!” Hagrid patted Harry on the back, knocking him forward a bit. He was holding a large box in one arm. The pleased look on his face could only mean one thing, that Hagrid had acquired a new pet.

“What’s in the box?” Harry asked, curious despite knowing better.

“They’re jus’ the cutest lil’ things. I got ’em off a man tryin’ ter sell ’em fer ingredients. I couldn’ leave ’em there. I’m gonna take care o’ ’em till they’re bigger, then release ’em into the forest.” Harry couldn’t imagine anything that could fit in that box, being any worse than anything else in that forest. Hagrid was already lowering the box so that Harry could see the little darlings. Harry blinked in surprise at the lack of eight legged creatures he was expecting. Instead, five tiny snakes that could maybe fit around Harry’s wrist were wrapped around a heat stone in the box. Their skin was a creamy color with pastel swirls.

“They are kind of cute.” Harry admitted.

“They’re harmless at this age.” Hagrid said, placing a large finger in the box. A single snake wrapped around his finger and he pulled it out of the box for Harry to see.

“What kind of snakes are they?”

“An Ivory Mouse Snake. They eat rodents an’ small critters. Docile lil’ things.” Hagrid explained.

“Can I hold it?” Harry asked.

“Sure, Harry.” Hagrid wiggled the snake off his finger into the palm of Harry’s hand.

“What potions are they used for?”

“Beauty potions, mostly. They can make good pets though. They’re loyal lil’ things an’ strengthen shield spells. It’s how they protect their eggs in the wild.”

“Really? How come more people don’t have them?”

“They’re not common an’ are hard ter capture. Kind o’ a pricey pet fer what they do.”

“Do you think I can have one?” Harry asked. “I mean, can I buy one? I know someone that would love to have one of these and would take good care of it.” Tom might not like people, but he liked snakes.

“Sure Harry, just don’t let anyone catch yeh with it. Snakes aren’t on the approved pet list.” Hagrid warned.

“How much?” Hagrid waved Harry away.

“I’m just glad ter know it’s goin’ ter a good home. Which one yer want?”

Harry looked down at the one in his hand. It had light green and blue swirls throughout it’s skin and it was trying to crawl up his sleeve. He smiled up at Hagrid. “I think I like this one.”

“Lemme know if yeh’ve any questions abou’ it’s care.” Hagrid raised the box up and they discussed the snakes during the rest of the walk back to the castle.

 

Harry rushed into the common room hoping to avoid his friends. Blaise and Ginny were on the sofa looking snug and Dean and Seamus were playing a game of exploding snap, other than that, the room was empty. Harry walked by with the intent to avoid conversation.

“Harry!” Blaise greeted, as if they were best friends now just because he was dating his ex-girlfriend.

“Hello Blaise, Ginny. I can’t really talk right now. I will be back in a few.” Harry tried to keep walking.

“I will have to learn that hex you used on Malfoy the other night. I’ve been looking for a way to shut him up for years and that hex did the trick.”

“Sure, later though.” Harry’s little snake friend took that moment to pop it’s head out of Harry’s front pocket.

“Is that a snake?!” Seamus jumped to his feet and Harry groaned. Seamus was terrified of snakes.

“Yes. I’m not keeping it. It will be gone in an hour. Just...snake sitting for a moment.”

“Good. We aren’t allowed to have snakes in the dorms.” Seamus said, settling back down, but still looking uncomfortable just knowing it was there.

“It will be gone soon and it’s completely harmless.” Harry pulled the tiny snake the rest of the way out of his pocket. “It’s the size of a large worm. What’s it gonna do?”

Seamus shuddered, “Crawl around and bite.”

“No wonder you have so many friends Potter. You’re exciting. I never know what you’re going to do next.” Blaise said, smiling big and relaxed as can be with his arm around Ginny. Ginny smirked and shook her head. Clearly she was taken with Blaise, Harry didn’t know much about him, but he seemed nice and he didn’t seem threatened by Harry. That was a good thing.

“Stick around. Later I’m gonna dress in drag and do the Hula.” Harry said.

“I’ve no clue what you’re talking about but, it sounds fun.” Harry put the snake back in his pocket and finally took the chance to escape, while Ginny explained that he was being sarcastic.

He dropped the bag with his book on his bed and climbed in, shutting the curtains around him.

_I know you are still mad, but I am sending you something, well two things, that I think you will like and one of them is...perishable, so even though you are mad, open it immediately. Hopefully you like them._ Harry added as an afterthought.

He placed the snake in a small box and poked a few holes in the top. “ _You are going to go to a nice home._ ” Harry spoke to the snake in parseltongue trying to assure it. It didn’t like the enclosed space and was making tiny distress noises. “ _It will only be for a few minutes._ ”

He placed the box on top of the book and placed both of them in the circle, placing a note on top of both that simply said _Sorry_. All three items disappeared and Harry prayed to Merlin that Tom wouldn’t be so stubborn that he would just throw them away and the poor snake would starve in the box. Harry almost fell asleep on his bed staring at the parchment, waiting for a response from Tom.

**_I see you have moved on to trying to buy my forgiveness._ **

Harry scrambled to reply. _Is it working?_

**_I suppose I could always sell the snake for a pretty penny as potion ingredients._ **

_You can’t! I promised a friend that rescued it that it would go to someone that would take good care of it._

**_Perhaps you shouldn’t make promises for other people._ **

_I thought you liked snakes. If you don’t want it, send it back. I will return it to my friend._

**_Did you even research if it was safe to send a living creature with that spell? You are lucky it is still alive._ **

Harry paled. It hadn’t even crossed his mind.

_Is it okay?_

**_I am starting to get the impression that you are an inconsiderate person._ **

_I don’t mean to be._

**_I would hex you for this if I could._ **

_Well, you have hexed me before, maybe you were still holding a grudge and I thought it was completely unprovoked._

**_I would never hex someone unprovoked._ **

_So he’s okay?_

**_Besides being agitated, SHE is fine._ **

_Good. And you aren’t going to make potion ingredients out of her, right?_

**_No. I’m not a monster._ **

There are many people that would disagree. Harry would’ve been one of them not that long ago.

_Did you like the book? You’ve probably already read it._

**_No, that is one I haven’t read yet, seeing as it was written in 1973._ **

Shit. He hadn’t even checked. He just stupidly assumed it was old because it was a book. Harry hoped that there wasn’t any mention of Voldemort in it anywhere.

**_It appears interesting._ **

_So, does that mean I’m forgiven? I really am sorry._

**_Fine. I will let it go._ **

Harry instantly felt relieved and pathetic. Add Harry to the number of other people bending over backwards to please Tom Riddle.

_What do you think you will name the snake?_

**_I don’t know yet. I also don’t know what I’m going to do with her over summer break. I can’t take her with me, I’m not allowed to do magic outside of school, leaving no way to take care of her._ **

_You can send her back to me. I will watch her for you._

**_Can you be trusted to care for another living thing? That is the question._ **

_I’ve managed to stay alive this long. I can take care of a snake._

**_I don’t know if I believe you, but I may not have any other options._ **

_I’m sure you have several options, but I really can take care of a snake. I’ve had a pet in the past and she did just fine._

**_Then how come she is in the past?_ **

_I don’t think you really want to go there, because it was partially your fault that Hedwig died._

Harry added Hedwig in the list to save. There was a long pause and Harry was afraid that he had went and upset Tom again. He didn’t think he could go another week without talking to him.

_Tom?_

**_I don’t understand why you are writing to me. If I’m correct, I’ve hexed you, tried to kill you, was insane, and now I find out I played a part in killing your pet!_ **

_I’ve told you why._

**_Tell me again._ **

_I don’t think you would have done any of those things if you hadn’t made the horcruxes._

**_So, do you think you can change me?_ **

Harry could almost read the anger, just boiling under the words; the ink slightly darker against the white parchment. And all he could picture was an eleven year old Tom Riddle’s excited expression close down at not being accepted once again when Dumbledore came to tell him he was a wizard.

_No. I know it’s hard to believe. I don’t quite understand it myself at times, but I like you. I don’t want you to change. That’s the point._

**_Are you sure you aren’t a Hufflepuff?_ **

_Shut up. You are the one that needed reassuring._

**_I certainly did not. I just needed enlightenment, because you don’t make any sense half of the time. How am I expected to understand warped Gryffindor logic?_ **

_Uhhu._

**_You are still on thin ice._ **

_Good thing I know a spell for that._

**_Just one?_ **

_How many spells are needed for thickening ice?_

**_Depends on what your goal is. You could just lighten yourself so as not to break the ice, giving the opportunity for someone else to fall through. It’s a good prank._ **

_Hopefully you dragged the poor person out of the ice after you were done laughing at them._

**_No. I made Lestrange do it. I didn’t want to get my robes wet._ **

_And you’re supposed to be a prefect._

**_I am. Being a prefect allows me to get away with more._ **

_An abuse of power._

**_Power has its perks._ **

Before Harry had time to come up with a response, Tom began writing again. His handwriting faster, with an added roundness to the letters that they normally didn’t have.

**_While I wasn’t talking to you, I took the liberty to do some research on magic resistant witches and wizards. There is a book in the library that I think would be helpful to check out and read. It’s called ‘The Resistance by Alfred Hemley’._ **

Harry curled his knees up into his chest and smiled, feeling completely relaxed. Tom’s favorite subject. Research and books in the library.

_Thanks. I’ll see if the library still has it._

**_I doubt that they would throw a book out. That would be criminal._ **

Harry laughed. It made him feel better that Tom had been doing research on his behalf, while being mad. It gave him away that he was planning on writing to Harry again, eventually. After he felt Harry had received punishment for a suitable amount of time, of course.

_If it’s not there, I will contact the authorities._

**_Remember, thin ice._ **

_If I don’t mock you, who will?_

**_No one and that’s the way I prefer it._ **

_I wouldn’t be a good friend if I didn’t._

**_I have to go. My new pet is complaining that it’s hungry. I don’t want to put it through any more stress today._ **

_I will write to you later._

**_Bye._ **

The short and abrupt goodbye was a little unnerving. Hopefully, they were okay. Tom had said he forgave him. He was probably just in a hurry. Babies were fragile and needy and that one had been spelled almost sixty years into the past. Harry wondered what would happen if a person was sent through that spell. It probably wasn’t strong enough to send that big of an object. A shoe box, yes. A whole person, no.

Harry pulled open his drawer to put the parchment away. Tom’s picture was still sitting in there face down. He still needed to figure out what to do with it. “It can wait another day.” Harry tossed the parchment into the drawer and spelled it closed with a thump.

In the common room, Ginny and Blaise were still sitting on the couch, Ron was glaring at them from the chair across from the them. Which probably meant one thing, that Ron had caught them snogging. Harry hoped this wouldn’t be a repeat from fourth year. He didn’t care that Ginny was dating Blaise, but he didn’t need the image of them snogging in his head.

“You want to head to dinner?” Harry asked, Ron’s frowning face turned to his.

“Merlin, yes.” He sprung to his feet, waggling a finger in his sister’s direction. “I’ll expect to see you down in no less than 5 minutes.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “I will go to dinner when I feel like it and no sooner.”

Knowing a useless fight when he sees one, Ron held his tongue until the two of them made it out of the portrait. “A bloody Slytherin. Snogging a Slytherin in the common room. My own sister.” Harry could only just make out Ron’s muttering.

“Mate. I know you aren’t interested in dating right now and you’ve been writing your...friend, but are you not interested in Ginny at all?” “Not like that. Er no.” “Because she’s been seeing Zabini and if you let it get much seriouser, you might not have a chance to get her back.”

“Sorry Ron.” Did Ron really think that this break-up was temporary? “I was never planning on getting her back.”

“Oh.” Ron slowed his pace down slightly. “I guess I knew that. I would just prefer you, rather than Zabini.”

“I know, but it’s not gonna happen.”

“I guess if he’s her soulmate, then he must be good enough for her. I should try to get to know him better.” Ron ruined the thoughtful moment by shaking his head and cursing. “But a bloody Slytherin.”

“Not all Slytherins are gits. Zabini seems easy going.”

“He’d have to be, to put up with Malfoy’s high maintenance arse.”

“What would you do if she was dating Malfoy?” Ron’s face looked horror struck.

“Don’t say that! It’ll give me nightmares.” Ron recovered and soon was joining in with Harry, laughing.

“I’m guessing you’ve been forgiven.” Ron pointed out. “You don’t seem to be moping anymore.”

“I wasn’t moping.” Harry argued. “Well, maybe a little, but I don’t like it when my friends are mad at me.”

“So the book worked?”

“Yeah.”

“Listen Harry. You seem to really like him. It really isn’t a big deal if you like a wizard. It’s no one’s business but yours and I mean if you aren’t going to be with Ginny and he seems like he’s making you happy, so…”

Harry let out a frustrated sound. “I’m glad I have your support to like whoever I want.”

“I know you’re just friends.” Ron finished for him, with equal amounts of sarcasm as Harry. “Just wanted to let you know. You know if you change your mind.”

Harry shot him a look, he was done with this conversation.

“Seamus said that you had a snake. Who are you watching it for?” Ron asked, thinking he was changing the subject.

“Oh...it’s gone already. Hagrid came across a guy trying to sell it for potions ingredients.”

“Good. I don’t care much for snakes after You-Know-Who.”

The noise of the Great Hall greeted them and they dropped the conversation in search for a place to sit. Harry was grateful, it didn’t give Ron a chance to realize that Harry didn’t really answer his question. And it hit him, how much he was keeping from Ron and Hermione, but he pushed the guilt down. It wouldn’t help him any, because he couldn’t stop communicating with Tom; he didn’t want to either. And there was just no way he would be able to make his two friends understand. Hermione would never agree to playing with time like this and Ron would never understand that he wanted to save Tom as much as Fred. Besides it would be better if they didn’t remember, they would be able to forget the nightmares.

“There’s Hermione.” Ron pointed, already heading towards her. Harry followed along deep in his thoughts. He had already eased his mind and guilt by the time he made it to the table. The ease lasted for a whole three seconds.

“Ron, Harry. I can tell it’s you Ron by the way you plop down on the bench, as if you are trying to break it.”

“The bench is magically reinforced. It’s not gonna break.” Hermione was gazing across the table at Ron, her eyes faraway and unseeing. Harry opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but the question froze on his tongue. Her eyelids blinked, and her eyes were the same color, but they didn’t move, they weren’t real.

Harry wanted so badly to ask, how this happened, when it happened, but knew he couldn’t. He should know, only he didn’t remember. Not yet. He didn’t know if he wanted to remember. The memories of him saving Creevey had came to him just like Dumbledore had said they would. The memory of himself shoving Creevey out of the way as a giant chunk of the wall collapsed, side by side with the memory of all the bodies spread out on the floor, Creevey’s with them. Harry wasn’t hungry anymore.

“You know what. I’m not feeling well. I’m gonna go to the...the loo.”

Harry jumped to his feet before his friends could protest and practically ran from the Great Hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone following this and reading. The supportive comments and kudos I've received makes me so happy and I'm excited every week to post the next chapter.


	7. 7 Friends Without Benefits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thanks to Crystallocks122 for being my Beta on this. It has been a big help!

Harry didn’t even make it to his room. He made it to a secluded alcove and practically dove into it, collapsing instantly against the wall. He tried to take deep breaths to slow his breathing, but he felt so panicked and nauseous over the entire thing. This was his fault. No one but him knew it, but that didn’t change that it was. Tom did this, somehow Harry knew it in his gut. His Tom had done this, and he couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He couldn’t understand, he couldn’t think of them as the same person, but they were and one day, the Tom he was currently writing to would still cause so much pain and destruction. Would still personally cause Harry so much loss and instead of making things better, he had given Tom the fuel to make it worse.

Harry dug deep into his memory and desperately tried to force his mind to remember what happened to Hermione. He had to know. He knew that the memory was there somewhere, it was like trying to remember someone’s name, but only being able to recall the first letter.

He sat there hidden away on the floor with his knees pulled to his chest until images flashed before his eyes, they were so fuzzy that Harry wasn’t even sure they were real and not his imagination trying to helpfully fill in the gaps.

It was the final battle at Hogwarts and Harry stood in front of Lord Voldemort, his skin a sickly tinged hue, his face distorted, eyes gleaming red. He looked nearly the same, but more familiar. Instead of a dark, alien figure looming on the opposite side of the circle, Harry was able to make out the tiny nuances of the Tom that Harry had gotten to know.

“Here we are again, Harry.” Voldemort’s voice sounded silky when it reached Harry’s name, almost like a caress and a playful smirk twitched on his face as if this was a game. It made him look almost human for a second, but it didn’t last. His face was overcome with glee, power, and pure insanity that it always had. Then came the familiar green light that still haunted Harry’s dreams sometimes.

Harry’s mind tried to pull away from the memory, tried to protect him from replaying something that would only upset him more. His hands were shaking and cold sweat formed on the back of his hands and neck. He forced his mind back. He needed to know.

He had been carried back to the school the same as before to be presented to his friends as dead. The last chip to make everyone crumble. It didn’t work. Everything happened so fast. Only this time, when Harry faced him with his wand out, Voldemort didn’t look uncertain. He looked like he knew he was going to lose, but if he was going to burn, he was going to take everyone with him, especially Harry.

One second Voldemort had his wand trained on Harry, the next he swung around and with speed and accuracy that Harry could only wish to have some day, he began flinging curses at the students. A green light flashed towards Ron and Neville, but both missed. Harry tried to cast his own spells, but they only hit his shield.

Voldemort cocked his head to the side, looking like a curious youth, glanced back at Harry and the smile he flashed him made his blood run cold. Then the green light changed color and the curses began hitting their targets. Luna went down first. Then Neville, then Voldemort paused, his eyes on Harry once again and cast the curse that made Hermione blind. “Her reading days are over.”

Her screams echoed through Harry’s head. Harry flung himself physically at Voldemort, who easily pushed him away and the rest unfolded much the same.

Harry rubbed the tears from his eyes. The memories of Voldemort only hurt more now that he was invested in Tom. He had done it to hurt Harry and Harry had not only given him information on himself, but his friends too. He was so stupid. How had he thought that he could change Tom? He remembered now. Luna was still in a comma and Neville was still suffering from joint pain caused by the curse. It was getting better and the medical staff thought he would make a full recovery, but he was still walking with a cane.

Harry sat in the alcove alone for a long time, unable to move and unwilling to take the chance of running into anyone on his way back to the Gryffindor rooms. He wished he had his invisibility cloak with him. He had no idea how long he sat there, but he was stiff and exhausted by the time he dragged himself to his feet. His eyes burned and his head ached as bad as his arse did from the cold, hard floor. The thought of his warm, soft bed was the only thing motivating him to move.

“Grey Earl.” Harry muttered, the passwords this year had all been different types of teas, Harry had no idea who was in charge of them, but at least they were easy to remember.

“Harry, where’ve you been?” Ron asked, popping up from the couch. Hermione looked towards the door out of habit.

“You missed dinner.” Harry thought she sounded a little more subdued than yesterday, when she could still see. “I have those notes you asked for. Accio notes.” A few pieces of parchment flew into Hermione’s hands and she held them out blindly for Harry to take. It made him feel even worse. Harry had spent hours moping, while Hermione was taking this like everything else, in strides.

“Thanks Hermione. I…I’m not feeling well.” Harry took the notes from her outstretched hand, her face scrunched up.

“Harry, you smell like vomit.”

“I might have thrown up a couple of times.” He admitted.

“Maybe you should go to the hospital wing.”

“No. I feel better. I think I will just go lie down for a little bit.”

“You really do look awful mate. I could go get a potion for you from Madam Pomfrey.” Ron volunteered.

“No. It’s fine. Just…” Harry pointed a limp arm towards the boy’s dorm, “bed.” Then he dragged himself away from his friends and into his bed, where he thought he would pass out, instead he continued to lay there miserably. Harry didn’t want to talk to Tom. He never wanted to write to him again, but the thought of ignoring him seemed like a bad idea. So he finally rolled over and dug their parchment and a quill out of his bed stand.

**_You are late, Harry._ **

Harry wanted to tell Tom where he could stick his quill at, but he didn’t want to fight with him, not really. He barely had the energy to pick up his quill and respond at all, let alone muster up the anger it would take to reprimand him on paper for something he hadn’t even done yet.

_Sorry. I’ve had a horrible day. I don’t know if I can write to you tonight._

**_Thank you for writing and letting me know this time._ **

**_Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?_ **

Yeah, how about not making my best friend blind.

_No. I don’t think there is. I just need to shut my brain off and rest. I will write to you tomorrow._

**_Goodnight Harry._ **

_Goodnight._

Harry felt like a traitor to all of his friends and his stomach turned. He probably needed to eat something, but he knew he wasn’t going to get up. Now, if only he knew how to shut his brain off, that was something he had never learned how to do. Harry had given up hope of falling into a restful sleep anytime tonight when a pop startled him.

A small box appeared on his bed, he had an idea who it was from. He sat up, making his pounding head feel like it was going to fall off, slightly dizzy, he lifted the lid to see a note from Tom.

_**Harry,** _

 

_**Something to help you feel better. The potion is dreamless sleep from Professor Slughorn’s stock. I didn’t steal it. I asked for it and he gave it to me.** _

 

_**Yours Truly** _

_**Tom** _

Under the note was a vial of dreamless sleep and a treacle tart. At that moment he could have kissed Tom, which only made him feel more confused than ever. He didn’t know what he should do tomorrow, but he did know he was tired of thinking about it tonight. He drank down the dreamless sleep and munched on the treacle tart, momentarily happy for the one small thing going right today. He fell asleep with crumbs on his chest and Tom’s note still in his lap.

Harry woke up the next day feeling one hundred times better. He didn’t know if it was the good nights sleep he had gotten or if it was the note from Tom that he found stuck to the side of his face upon waking up, but he knew what he had to do.

_Thanks Tom. I feel tons better. Hope you have a good day today._

Harry didn’t wait for a response, dressing quickly, he tossed the two way parchment into his bag, along with the notes Hermione had given him. He would look over them at breakfast. His stomach growled at just the idea of food, reminding him he had skipped dinner last night.

Hermione and Ron were still in the common room, he could hear their voices when he exited the boy’s dorms. “You should wake Harry up to see if he wants to go to breakfast. And to see if he’s feeling better, if not, we should take him to see Madame Pomfrey.”

“I’m up.” Harry announced, coming around the corner. “I’m feeling a lot better.”

“You sound better.” Hermione agreed. “Ron, does he look better?”

“Yeah, he looks like his normal self.”

“Tom sent me a vial of dreamless sleep last night and treacle tart.” The guilt from yesterday was threatening to overwhelm him again. He was looking more at his shoes than his friends, but he still caught a glance of the wide grin on Ron’s face.

“That’s sweet Harry.” Hermione’s words made Ron smile even bigger and choke on a laugh. Harry’s face turned even redder.

“For him, it’s really sweet. He can be kind of…” a psychotic, murdering “a jerk sometimes.”

“So can you, mate.” Ron shrugged non apologetically.

“Yeah. Let’s go to breakfast.” Harry held out his arm, brushing it against Hermione’s fingers so she could grab on. He would fix this, but until then, he would do everything he could to make things easier for Hermione. If he stopped writing to Tom now, Hermione would be stuck like this and Tom would be angry and things could get worse. He couldn’t give up on his friends and that included Tom, he would just be more careful about what he talked about.

 

Harry was sitting in class listening to Slughorn go over the directions for the potion that they were going to be starting today. Bored as usual. He was starting to miss Snape, at least he kept the students on their toes and Harry was usually too angry to be this bored.

Harry slipped his book aside thinking about writing to Tom to see what his thoughts on this potion were. Why would anyone want to glow in the dark? It didn’t make sense.

**_I’m going to kill you._ **Tom’s words disappeared as soon as Harry looked at the parchment.

_What did I do now?_

**_Where do I begin?_ **

Harry imagined Tom plopping down into a chair, with his hand draped over his face dramatically. Harry doubted that's what really happened, he wished he could talk to him in person sometimes, instead of through the parchment.

**_You gave me a pet against the Hogwarts rules. One that happens to be very dramatic and high maintenance. If I don’t take her to classes with me, she refuses to even look at me when I get back to the rooms. So, I’m forced to take bring her and today, one of the professors saw her in the halls and luckily not a certain Transfiguration professor that I’m not going to mention. So, she believed the sob story I told her about rescuing her from becoming potions ingredients and that I was only keeping her until she got strong enough to be able to release in the wild. This caught the attention of one of the students who is obsessed with strange animals and magical creatures and he invited me to look at his pet Wooly Hoo Hoo. I don’t even know what a Wooly Hoo Hoo is, but I wasn’t going to admit that to a giant half-breed and look like an idiot. So, I suppose I will go now and have a look, because I can’t be ignorant of what it is. It better not be some slag for his private parts or I will hex him into a Wooly Slug and stomp on him._ **

Harry didn’t even realize he was laughing until he realized that people nearby were looking at him. He got control over himself and pretended to pay attention to class once again, before responding back.

_Hagrid isn’t going to show you his private parts. Try to be nice to him. He is a friend of mine._

**_I think you overuse the word friend._ **

_No. He is a friend. He came and hand delivered my Hogwarts letter to me and was the first person to ever give me a birthday cake and present._

**_That’s so sweet._ **

_Let me know what a Wooly Hoo Hoo is when you find out._

“Mr. Potter.” Harry looked up and quickly covered his parchment back up.

“Hmm?” “I was asking if you wouldn’t mind being in a group of three today, since we have an odd number of students.” Professor Slughorn looked rather put out that Harry wasn’t paying attention to him.

“Sorry professor, that would be great.”

“Harry, you really should be paying attention and not writing notes to Tom.”

“How do you know I was writing to Tom?” She couldn’t see and she still seemed to know everything that was going on around her.

“I’m blind, not dumb.”

“He was upset about something. I was trying to make him feel better.” Harry thought he sounded believable.

“I could tell by the laughter.” Hermione rolled her eyes, a habit that Harry didn’t think would ever go away. Not when she spent so much time with Ron, and himself, if he was being honest.

“He’s funny when he’s upset. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t try to make him feel better.” Harry muttered.

 

Harry wouldn’t have been so quick to agree if he had known that the group of three he was going to be in was with Malfoy and Seamus, he had assumed it would be with Hermione and Ron. Maybe if Harry had been paying attention, he would have heard that the groups were going to be random.

“Try to not let being in love distract you and cause us to get a failing grade, Potter.” Harry was starting to wish Malfoy would go back to being quiet and respectful.

“Try not to let being a git cause me to add you to the potion as an ingredient.” The threat probably would have been more successful if Harry hadn’t stuck his tongue out at Malfoy at the end.

“Very mature. No wonder your soulmate is a fifteen year old when that’s your mental age.”

“I don’t believe in soulmates, it’s all a bunch of nonsense, and I’ve been getting good grades lately on my potions. I don’t think I’m the one you need to be worrying about.” They both looked over at Seamus, who was already fingering the different potion ingredients.

“Finnigan, don’t touch anything unless I tell you to.” Seamus dropped the golden harpy feathers he was holding.

“I’ve been getting passing grades too.” He said, scrunching up his face.

“Passing? I’ve received an Outstanding on every potion this year and I’m not going to get anything less because I’ve been forced to partner with you two.” He pointed the end of the cutting knife that he was holding at Finnigan, “A half-idiot that is satisfied with an Acceptable. And…” he moved the tip to point at Harry, “a Gryffindor too busy flirting in class to pay attention.”

“I never pay attention in class. It has nothing to do with flirting.” Harry argued.

“Consider me reassured.” Malfoy drawled.

“I’m not going to mess the potion up.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Relax.”

“Just be good little Gryffindors and do as I say.”

Maybe it was because Harry was used to Tom, but Harry wasn’t even insulted. He found that he was actually smiling at Malfoy. “Sure Malfoy, lead the way.” Malfoy gave Harry a suspicious look, but he pulled his wand out and the pages fluttered open to the potion they were going to be making. Harry noted scribbles along the margins and parts crossed out and replaced with alternate instructions.

"Your handwriting is messier than I would have expected." Harry commented looking over Malfoy's shoulder at the notes he had taken in class that day.

"That's because I'm brilliant, I've the handwriting of a genius."

Harry busted out laughing. Both Harry and Seamus were holding their sides by the time Malfoy shoved a measuring cup at Harry. "Three cups of distilled water. Do you think you can handle that Potter?"

"Sure Malfoy. I might not be a genius, but I'll figure it out."

 

 

Later that evening, Harry decided to go visit Hagrid to tell him that his friend liked the snake. He hadn’t been getting down there much this year. He was surprised when he was ushered into the cabin to see the dishes washing themselves. Usually Hagrid did his household chores by hand.

“My friend is getting along with the snake, says she’s clingy, but they could both use a little companionship.”

“That’s great, Harry.” Hagrid said, “Wanna Cuppa?”

“Sounds good.” Harry got a second surprise when Hagrid pulled a wand out and began magically heating up the kettle on the stove.

“Hagrid! Your wand!” Harry sat up straight in his chair. Did the ministry let him have it back or let him buy a new one after all this time?

“Wha’ ’bout it?” Hagrid looked down at his wand questioningly, as if there might be something off about it.

“Nothing.” Harry assured, realizing what was going on. “I thought I saw something on it, but it was just a...shadow.” Harry said, lamely.

“Oh, good. Wouldn’ want anything t’happen ter this.” Hagrid said, patting the thick wood affectionately. “Don’t know how I’d get everthn’g done around ’ere without it.”

Harry smiled up at Hagrid, happy for him even though Hagrid had no clue how close he had come to finding out. Harry stayed for some time and Hagrid showed him the other snakes who seemed to be doing good. Harry talked to them and told them how their missing sibling was doing, but they didn’t seem to care, they were more interested in when their next feeding was going to be.

“I always thought it’d be neat ter talk ter critters, but suppose it’s not needed to know what they want.” One of the snakes was currently holding its mouth open like a baby bird instead of a baby snake. “This one’s a needy fella. Gotta watch ‘em too, because he’ll bite. Teeth like little thorns.”

On Harry’s way back to Gryffindor tower, he decided to swing by the girls bathroom to see if Moaning Myrtle was still haunting it. Unfortunately she was and Harry was forced to listen to her complain for what felt like an hour before he was finally able to escape.

 

**_A Wooly Hoo Hoo is a type of bird._** Was the message that awaited Harry from Tom.

_We have been enlightened._

**_Then, why do I feel like I lost intelligence today? You owe me for the patience I faked towards your blubbering fool of a friend, all for your sake._ **

Harry smiled. Tom had no idea.

_What do you want?_

Harry would happily get Tom another gift.

**_A favor that I can call upon at a later time when the need arises._ **

_I’m not going to just allow you to hang a favor over my head indefinitely. Think of something you would like and I will see what I can do._

**_Fine. I will think about what could possibly be repayment enough for being forced to make an actual friend. And I say friend by your definition, because there is no way he will ever be useful to me._ **

_Friends don’t always have to be powerful and political to be helpful. I befriended a house elf once and he ended up saving my skin multiple times in school and actually saving my life once._

There were still so many who needed to be saved.

**_How many times have you almost been killed? Don’t tell me a house elf is the reason that you didn’t die when I tried to kill you._ **

_No, this was a different time, different people. And nine times that I can think of._

**_If you ever learn to be an animagus, you would be a cat. You must be more of a troublemaker than I pictured._ **

_No not really, maybe just unlucky or really lucky. Not sure. I figured I would probably be a stag, because that’s my patronus._

**_I can’t picture you being a stag. Also a patronus and animagus form does not have to be the same._ **

_I’ve been reading up on animagus, my father was one and thought it might be fun. I’ve not actually took any steps to become one yet. Have you ever cast a patronus? I know it’s not taught until seventh year, but I didn’t know if it was something that you’ve tried._

**_No, I’ve attempted, but I’ve not been successful._ **

_It’s a difficult spell and would probably be hard for you._

**_Why would it be hard for me?_ **

_It takes throwing all your emotions into the spell and you aren’t...the emotional type._

**_That is true. I thought you were going to say something else._ **

_You have to think of the happiest memory you can, open yourself up to fully feel the moment while you cast it._

**_I don’t really have that many happy memories._ **

_What about the first time you held your wand? Or saw Hogwarts? Or cast your first spell? I was raised by muggles and I think when you are raised in the muggle world, those memories hold stronger feelings than those raised knowing they were magical._

**_Perhaps, I will try again._ **

_Okay._

**_I find dark magic easier than light. Normally._ **

_If you do too much dark magic, then it makes you lose the ability to cast light spells._

**_I’ve read that, but they just come more natural. Perhaps, I am a bad person._ **

_Or dark spells are just easier to cast because you are a powerful wizard and most of them rely solely on power._

**_You don’t think I’m a bad person? I did try to kill you, as you said._ **

That wasn’t a question Harry could really answer at the moment. He wasn’t a bad person yet, that was Harry’s hope.

_People are more complicated than that, to be categorized as good or bad. Besides if you were a bad person, I wouldn’t be enjoying talking to you so much._

**_Unless you’re a bad person too._ **

_I’m not. If you get your patronus, let me know. I am curious to know what form it takes._

**_You will be the first to know. Goodnight, Harry._ **

_Goodnight, Your Majesty._

**_Flattery won’t make up for putting up with that half-breed._ **

_He’s not so bad._

**_We will see about that._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the support. The next chapter hopefully will be on time. I am going to be leaving on vacation and I know I will have time to write, but I'm worried about the internet situation. I will do my best to post the next chapter, but if I don't then you will know to blame bad wifi.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter while getting ready for vacation this week. I thought if I was going on holiday, Harry and Tom should have a holiday too. This chapter is pretty much complete fluff, but it ends with plot so next chapter will be packed and the rest of the story is going to be fast paced.

The fire blazing in the common room felt amazing, the chill that had made its way down to the bone after a long day of traipsing from class to class in the frigid weather was beginning to melt away.

“What are you going to get Hermione for Christmas?” Ron asked, a few minutes after Hermione had left to go to bed.

“No clue. And you?”

“No clue. I want to get her something nice this year...er romantic maybe.” Ron looked doubtful. “Do you think she’d like that? Or should I just go with what I know she likes?”

“I think she’d like it. Perhaps go with both, something romantic and something practical.” Ron nodded his head and they fell into silence for a moment, watching the flames dance in the fireplace.

“What are you going to get Tom for Christmas?”

“A new personality.” Harry shrugged, “No clue.”

“I thought you two made up?”

“We did. I was only joking Ron.” Harry smiled, “I’ll probably get him more books to read.”

“That’s boring.”

“Not to him, its not.” Harry tried to think of something else he could get him, but couldn’t think of anything. “The problem is that his birthday is only six days after Christmas, so I have to think of something to get him for that too.”

“Holiday birthdays are the worst. Maybe just get him one big gift and make it his Christmas and birthday present.”

“That sounds lazy.” If Harry had learned one thing about Tom, it was that he respected hard work. “Tom hates lazy people.”

“So, then you need to get him something that shows you went through a lot of effort.” Ron gave a short nod.

“Like what?” Harry asked.

“I dunno. He’s your boyfriend.” Harry punched Ron in the arm. “Ow. I was just joking.” Ron rubbed his arm, but he was still smiling at his own humor. “I don’t see you fretting over what to get me for Christmas.”

“That’s because you’re my low maintenance friend and Tom is my high maintenance friend.”

“I never pegged you to go after someone high maintenance.” Harry let out a sigh and without saying anything he got up from his cozy chair and headed to bed. “Still joking.” Ron laughed.

Harry waved him off. “Night, Ron.”

“Night, mate. Wouldn’t want to make you late. I know how those high maintenance friends can get.”

“Shove it.” Ron let out another loud laugh. Maybe he should exchange his friends for new ones?

_Are you there?_

**_Yes. Unlike you, I know how to be on time._ **

_It’s only five minutes past. Besides, I know you weren’t just sitting there waiting, you were reading. You are probably still reading while I’m writing this, with only half an eye on what I’m writing._

**_I’ve put the book away. You have my undivided attention._ **

_You are more sarcastic than I expected._

**_I told you not to assume you know me._ **

_Yes, you did say that._

**_Any progress on your little project?_ **

_No. I’ve done all sorts of research, but I can’t figure out what the curse would be attached to. I mean with most instances, the curse is still just a cursed object that is passed on to the person that takes the cursed position, like a wedding ring or a crown, but a job position doesn’t have that._

**_Are you sure there is nothing of the sorts? A class room, a pin or a bed chamber perhaps._ **

_Nothing that I could find. I asked the Headmistress and she said that they have changed classrooms in the past and the bed chambers don’t go by subject, but by seniority and the head of house gets a room closer to their respective houses._

**_Then perhaps, it isn’t attached to an item._ **

_That’s what I’m leaning towards, which is problematic._

**_There’s an easy solution, but I’m not giving you the answer._ **

_Because you enjoy hearing about my struggles?_

**_No, because I don’t want to take the joy of finding the solution all on your own away from you._ **

_Speaking of struggles. Have you had any luck on your project?_

**_Which one?_ **

_The patronus._

**_No. If I had been successful, I would have already brought it up._ **

_I figured as much. Do you have anything planned for the holidays?_

**_Christmas is a pointless nuisance. The only good thing that comes from it is that most of the student body and staff leave and I get to roam around the school freely and do whatever I want._ **

_I usually just stay at Hogwarts too, but this year I was invited to a friend’s house. Part of me wishes I could just stay here, it’s nice here at Christmas. And I think it will be stressful there for Christmas, they lost a son not that long ago and this will be the first Christmas without him._

**_That sounds terrible. Yet another reason not to have friends._ **

_So, you explore the school. Have you found the room of requirements yet?_

**_I found that in first year._ **

_The secret passage to Hogsmeade?_

**_Hardly a secret, every Slytherin knows about it. Have you heard of The Chamber of Secrets?_ **

Harry’s heart slammed into his chest.

_I’ve heard of it._

**_That is what I’ve been looking for this year. I’m going to double my efforts this holiday._ **

_Isn’t there supposed to be a monster trapped in there?_

**_You sound scared. Very un-Gryffindor of you._ **

_Just be careful, if no one can find the Chamber, no one will be able to find you if you get hurt._

Harry knew he would be okay, but maybe he could scare him off. Slytherin’s weren’t known for their bravery after all, but thinking about it now, all the stuff that Tom pulled off while at school took a lot of guts. Harry still remembered looking down into the tunnel that led down to the Chamber of Secrets, he had been terrified and he had a friend and a teacher with him, granted the teacher was useless, but to go completely by himself...he supposed he would have, with Ginny being in danger. But, he doubted he would have gone down just for the thrill of it.

**_Yes mother._ **

_Goodnight Tom._

**_Do you want to make sure I’ve brushed my teeth before bed too?_ **

_I hope your teeth fall out, it would serve you right. Wouldn’t be so charming and good looking then, would you?_

**_Charming and good looking, you say?_ **

Harry’s face turned red. “Think before you write.” He muttered to himself.

_I will talk to you tomorrow._

**_Goodnight, Darling._ **

“Sarcastic arse.” Harry flung the parchment into his drawer, still mumbling to himself. He stopped when he realized he was smiling. He wiped the smile off his face and beat his pillow. He was getting way over his head.

 

It was only seven days until Christmas and Harry still hadn’t finished his shopping yet. He had gotten a few things here and there. He had found two books that he thought Tom would like, one was really old and the other was new, it didn’t mention anything about Voldemort, so Harry thought it would be safe to send. He wanted to get him something else too, but couldn’t think of what it could be.

Harry looked over to the blond stirring his potion beside him. Malfoy always looked so absorbed in his work, as if he were disarming a bomb instead of making a pepper up potion for extra credit. “What did you ask for this year for Christmas?” Maybe he could get some ideas on what to get Tom.

Malfoy pulled his attention away from his cauldron, his intense expression instantly changing into a taunting expression. Harry was already regretting his decision.

“Potter, I didn’t know that we were so close as to be buying each other Christmas presents this year.” With the wave of his wand, a long piece of parchment unrolled itself. “I would stick to the lower half of the list, people will already be getting me most of the top items.”

“You carry your list with you?” Was the only thing Harry could think to ask. Who carried their list with them?

Malfoy ignored Harry’s question all together. “Martin’s Miracle Hair wouldn’t be a bad thing for you to add to yours.”

“It would have to be a miracle if it managed to work.” Harry said, trying to flatten his hair with his hand. Malfoy scrunched his face and completely caught Harry off guard by shooting a spell at him.

Harry pulled his wand out and leapt back on reflex. Standing there, he waited for any signs of ill effects.

“Relax, it was a hair spell.” Malfoy transfigured a spoon into a mirror and held it up to Harry. To his surprise, his hair was laying flat in loose silky waves, instead of sticking up all over the place.

“Huh. It’s never looked like that before.” Harry patted a few places that normally gave him the most trouble.

“Probably because you were raised by barbarians and adopted by Weasleys.” Malfoy drawled.

“I heard that.” Ron said, from a row behind Harry.

“Hey Ron, look at my hair. Malfoy fixed it up for me.”

“Why don’t you tell the entire school?” Malfoy sneered. “I’ve always wanted to become a bloody hairdresser.” Ron gave Harry a thumbs up and Malfoy a middle finger. Malfoy scowled and turned back to his potion.

Harry hadn’t seen anything on Malfoy’s list that he thought Tom would want and his hair didn’t stay flat, by the end of the class, his hair was back to its usual self. “Your hair is an anomaly.” Malfoy said, frowning at the sticking up strands, before leaving the class. Harry shrugged and started putting his stuff away.

“Good effort again today, Mr. Potter.” Professor Slughorn said, “Should be another exceeds expectations, at least.”

“Thank you, professor.”

“You will make an excellent Auror when you graduate.”

“Er, actually, I’ve been thinking about teaching.”

Professor Slughorn blinked at Harry a few times in surprise and then gathered himself. “A humble, fulfilling choice, Mr. Potter.”

“Does that disappoint you?” Harry didn’t know why he asked, maybe he wanted to get an idea if everyone else would feel the same way when they found out. Everyone seemed to have such big, grand plans for ‘the savior’.

Slughorn’s expression softened. “Not at all, Mr. Potter. Children are our future, what better way to help the community grow, then to help our children grow?”

Harry smiled, he liked that. “Er, Professor, one more thing, I thought maybe you could help me with it. I’m trying to think of something to buy someone for Christmas, but they aren’t the usual run-of-the-mill and I’ve no clue.”

“A certain special someone, perhaps?” Slughorn's eyes lit up, he was loving this.

“I suppose, sort of.” Harry wanted to make this Christmas special for Tom, when he thought about it, Tom had probably never got anything for Christmas, maybe some of his classmates got him gifts, but that was different than receiving something from a friend for the first time. “I wanted to get them something that’s one of a kind, but can’t think of anything.”

“Does this special someone like books?”

Harry nodded his head.

“I think I’ve just the thing.” Slughorn turned, waving Harry to follow him. “It’s in my office.”

Harry followed behind, hoping that it would be something good. Slughorn led Harry to a small bookshelf by his desk. It looked like it held a number of rare and expensive books. Professor Slughorn pulled out a thin bound book.

“This is the notes of Potion Master, Edward Yuler. The only copy of his work on transformation potions that he completed before his death.” Harry scanned through the handwritten pages, it looked like the work of a mad man. Tom would probably like it.

“Thanks professor. How much do I owe you?” Slughorn shook his head, his neck jiggling. “Nonsense. I think your special someone will enjoy that, especially if they are interested in potions.” Slughorn gave Harry a wink.

Another book on the shelf caught Harry’s eye. “What is that one?” Harry pointed. It was bound in all green and Harry could make out the crest of Slytherin on the binding.

“This one.” Slughorn pulled out the medium sized hardback book, it definitely had the crest of Slytherin on it. “This is one of the few copies of Salazar Slytherin’s first edition textbook that he taught from.”

“Really!” Harry’s face lit up. That would be even more perfect, but he doubted Slughorn would want to part from something so special. “Er, Professor, how attached are you to that one?”

“I’m very attached to this one, my boy.” Slughorn patted the book affectionately.

“I thought so.” Harry must have looked crestfallen.

“But not so attached that I wouldn’t be willing to make a deal, of course. I wouldn’t want to come between love.”

Harry’s expression lit back up. “A deal? I could make a deal.”

Harry finally left Slughorn's classroom with his two new books in his hand feeling way happier than he should have, considering that he had pretty much agreed to be Slughorn’s trophy student for a years worth of social events. Harry hated social events. He even had to go to a Christmas dinner that Slughorn was throwing. At least, he always had good food and drinks at his dinners.

 

_How do you put up with Slytherins all the time?_

**_I’m not sure what you mean._ **

_I just had to make a deal with one and it was way more complicated than it needed to be._

**_What kind of deal? You should ask me before making any deals. I will tell you if you are being stupid or not._ **

_Gee thanks._

**_Did I hurt your feelings?_ **

_No, I’m not as sensitive as you._

**_I take back my offer._ **

_I couldn’t ask you about it anyway, because it has to do with your Christmas present._

**_You are getting me a present? I didn’t realize we were exchanging gifts._ **

_You don’t have to get me anything._

**_I certainly do if you are getting me something._ **

_I didn’t spend much money, I just have to do someone a favor, so don’t think you have to get me anything._

**_Is that supposed to make me feel less obligated? To Slytherins, favors are worth more than money._ **

_Oh. It isn’t a big favor if that helps._

**_Goodnight, Harry._ **

Harry was being dismissed. Harry scowled down at the parchment. He was trying to do something nice and Tom was making him feel like he was doing the opposite.

_I can return the gifts if you don’t want to exchange gifts. I just usually get gifts for all of my friends and I wanted to get you something that I thought you would like._

Harry had no intention of returning the gifts. If Tom didn’t want to do Christmas presents, Harry would wait and give them to him for his birthday.

**_Do what you want. I will talk to you tomorrow._ **

_Alright. Night, Tom._

 

The next morning, Harry was picking at his breakfast, still wondering where he went wrong the night before.

“Why the long face?” Ron asked.

“Just thinking.”

“Did you say something stupid again?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I don’t think I did.”

Hermione sighed and paused in her eating. “What happened?”

Harry told them most of the conversation, leaving out certain details.

“It sounds like he is worried about you giving a nicer gift than him.” Hermione said, not sounding like Harry’s problem was a big deal at all.

“Perhaps, money is an issue.” Ron suggested. “I was worried the first time I had to buy everyone gifts, because I didn’t have as much money to spend on everyone.”

“You might actually have a point there, Ron.” Harry said, thinking about how little Tom had, money could be an issue. “But, I said I didn’t spend much money.”

“Yeah, but is the gift nice?”

“Yes. I got him two rare books.”

“How do you think he is going to feel Harry, when you get him special edition books and he gets you a box of candy?” Hermione asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t care, I like candy.” Harry shrugged.

“He’s going to feel embarrassed, mate.” Ron pointed out.

“I went through a lot of trouble to get him something special, like you suggested. Now what? I shouldn’t give it to him?”

“No you should give it to him, but making it out to be no big deal isn’t going to help.” Ron said. “That might make it worse.”

Hermione added. “If something nice isn’t a big deal then it will make him feel worse.”

“I can’t picture making a big deal out of it being any better. So I’m screwed either way.” Harry ran his hands through his hair. “Why are relationships so hard?” Ron and Hermione sucked in their breath for a split second. “Er, you know relationships between people, not like romantic relationships.” Harry corrected.

“Oh, Harry. Give it a rest.” Hermione snapped, she fumbled with her bag and stood to leave. Apparently done trying to help the unhelpable. Hermione left the Great Hall, her patronus leading the way playfully through the few scattered students. She didn’t even need Ron and Harry to help her around the school anymore.

“Don’t downplay the gift. When he says thank you, just say you’re welcome and that you’re glad he likes it.” Ron plopped another scoop of eggs onto his plate. “I love it when they put the different kinds of cheese in the eggs.”

“Yeah, me too.” Harry agreed, feeling better.

 

 

Harry hadn’t felt this excited for Christmas since his first year at Hogwarts. He had written back and forth with Tom for a little over an hour, he seemed to have gotten over whatever the problem had been with the Christmas presents all on his own. Harry was waiting up until midnight to send Tom his presents, so that they would be there when he woke up in the morning, hopefully the pop sound wouldn’t wake him up.

Ron was snoring quietly in the bed next to him, in the room they were sharing at the Burrow. Harry cast the Tempus charm, it was 11:59. Close enough. He double checked the wrapped presents and the container of Christmas biscuits, placed them in the circle and cast the spell.

_Happy Christmas, Tom!_ Harry wrote to Tom.

He was getting ready to put it away and tuck into bed, when to Harry’s surprise Tom responded.

**_You are a child._ **

_You are still up? I was hoping that you would wake up in the morning to the presents being there._

**_I am still up and if I had been asleep, the box of biscuits scattering on my face would have probably woken me._ **

_Sorry. You mean, the book you were reading didn’t protect you?_

**_I wasn’t reading._ **

_What were you doing then? I didn’t know you did other things._

**_It doesn’t matter. I suppose I might as well send you your gift since you can’t wait until a reasonable time in the morning._ **

_Great! We can open them at the same time and it will be like spending Christmas together._

Harry sat cross legged in his bed, excitedly waiting for his gift to appear. He looked down at his candy cane pajama bottoms and wondered if Tom was wearing anything festive, unlikely. Harry pulled the Weasley sweater he wore over his head. The letter H shouldn’t be that hard to transfigure into a T. A light pop sounded and a decorative box landed on Harry’s bed.

_Don’t open your presents yet. I’m sending you something to wear._

**_Something to wear? What is wrong with what I’m wearing?_ **

_What are you wearing?_

**_Excuse me? That is a bit of a perverted question._ **

_Not like that. I’m sending you something more festive._

**_I don’t like festive clothing. Don’t send it. I’m not going to wear it._ **

_It’s not over the top. It’s a green sweater with a T on it._

**_Why a T?_ **

_Because that is the letter of your first name._

**_I know that, but why is it on a sweater?_ **

_Well it was an H, but I altered it to be a T._

**_Do you often wear sweaters with the letter of your first name? Is it so you won’t forget your name or something?_ **

_No, it’s just a tradition of sorts. So you should have one too. Wear it. Please!!!_

**_How do you know I won’t just tell you I’m wearing it and not really wearing it? Do you want me to send you another picture?_ **

_I will take your word for it. Well actually, I wouldn’t mind having a picture of you in a Weasley sweater, but please leave the clothes on._

**_I was joking. I’m not giving you blackmail material._ **

_Pleeease._

**_I will send you a picture if you send me another picture too._ **

_Deal._

**_Like the one I sent you._ **

_No deal._

Harry thought the T didn’t turn out half bad. He leaned forward and placed the sweater in the circle that was still there from earlier.

_I’m sending it. I will just take your word for it that you are wearing it._

**_You are no fun and you really are a prude._ **

_Happy Christmas, Tom! Let me know when you are ready and I will open my present._

Harry picked the box up and placed it on his lap, picking at a corner impatiently.

**_I am ready, ugly Christmas sweater and all. Why is it so big? I have to admit it is more...cozy than I expected and it smells nice._ **

Heat flooded Harry’s face and his stomach fluttered.

_That’s why it’s so big, to make it more cozy._

For once Harry was glad to be communicating through writing, because he didn’t think he would be able to keep his voice steady at the moment.

Harry lifted the lid of his box to examine his gift. It looked like there were multiple items in the box. The first item that Harry pulled out was a nice wrist watch. Harry rolled his eyes, he wasn’t late that often. Next was a box of assorted candy from Honeydukes, he plopped one out and sucked on it, while pulling out the final item. It was a tiny sized jar with clear fluid in it. He held it up and examined it in the light. He hadn’t a clue what it was. Would Tom be offended if he asked him? His curiosity only distracted him for so long, his mind wandered back to Tom opening his presents and his excitement returned, he wished he could watch him opening the gifts, instead of just imagining it.

**_Harry, where did you get these books?_ **

_Someone at the school had them. Do you like them? Don’t tell me you’ve read them already?_

**_No, I’ve not read them. I’ve never seen them before. And yes, I like them, I like them a lot._ **

In Tom’s language, that meant he loved them. Harry wouldn’t have been able to stop smiling if he tried.

**_Thank you._ **

_You’re welcome. I like my gifts as well. I’ve already ate half my candy, but I don’t know what’s in the jar._

**_They are eye lenses, they go directly on your eye. I noticed that you were wearing glasses in your picture._ **

_Like contact lenses, but how do you know my prescription?_

**_I don’t know what contact lenses are, but these are magical and change so that whoever wears them has perfect vision._ **

_Thanks. I didn’t know that something like this existed in the wizarding world. They will come in handy while playing Quidditch in the rain._

**_They aren’t common, but a couple of the students in my dorm wear them. With you being magically resistant, I don’t think a vision correction spell would hold long._ **

_I didn’t think about that. Thanks for staying up and having Christmas with me._

**_You’re welcome. You better go to bed soon, you have a long day ahead of you._ **

_I do. I will write you on and off throughout the day when I get a chance._

**_If you want to. Goodnight Harry._ **

_Goodnight Tom._

The Holiday from Hogwarts felt both long and flew by at the same time, before Harry knew it he was back in the Griffydor rooms putting away his new gifts and unpacking.

“Hermione seemed to like her gifts.” Ron looked up waiting for Harry to reassure him that she did in fact like the gifts he had gotten her.

“Definitely.”

“My mum, asked me when I was going to propose. Can you believe that?” Harry laughed.

“She asked me when I was going to propose to Ginny.”

“She didn’t?”

“She did.”

“What’d you say?”

“I told her it was likely someone else would beat me to it. Then she left to ask Ginny who she was seeing and why she hadn’t heard anything about it.”

“Serves Ginny right.” Ron was still upset that she had refused to help him with Hermione’s present, Harry didn’t think she would have been much help even if she agreed. She tried to be girly at times, but with being raised with all boys, she lacked the qualifications. Harry looked down at his watch, it was nice to be able to check the time without casting a spell. He wondered why more wizards didn’t have them.

Ron rolled his eyes. “Night mate.” Then muttered, “Bloody whipped.”

“I am not. It’s called being respectful.” Harry scowled at Ron’s back, but Ron was already pulling the curtains to his bed closed. Harry huffed for a second, before scurrying into his own bed to write to Tom.

**_I found it._ **Was excitedly written, awaiting Harry’s response when he pulled out his parchment.

Harry’s heart pounded in his chest. Tom found the Chamber of Secrets.


	9. 9 The One Where Everyone Finds Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week is an extra long chapter. Things are starting to happen now! 
> 
> Also huge thanks to Crystallocks for betaing and making this story easier to read.

Harry sat on his bed, staring at Tom’s words. He had to write something. Tom was expecting a response and Harry could tell from the writing that this was something that Tom was ecstatic about and had told Harry about it, wanting Harry to share in the excitement. Only, Harry couldn’t share in the excitement. Myrtle was still haunting the bathroom, so she would still die, unless Harry could convince Tom to not let Slytherin’s monster loose on the school.

_**It being the Chamber of Secrets, in case you didn’t know. I am the Heir of Slytherin and now I have proof of it.** _

_You are going to tell people about the Chamber then? I thought you would want to keep it a secret._

Harry finally managed to reply. His hands were ridiculously sweaty and he felt nervous to the point of nauseous, as if he were getting ready to disarm a bomb and if he clipped the wrong wire, the entire thing would blow up.

_**I won’t tell them of its location, not that any of my classmates would be able to enter. You have to be able to speak parseltongue.** _

_Is there really a monster in there?_

**_No and yes. There is an ancient, large snake, a Basilisk. I feel sorry for it._ **

Harry blinked down at the parchment. Tom felt sorry for it? Felt sorry for a snake. He couldn’t muster up some feelings for his fellow classmates, but a grotesque snake, sure.

_Why do you feel sorry for it?_

_**It’s been trapped down there by itself for over a hundred years.** _

_Can you release it into the Forbidden Forest?_

The thought of that snake slithering around the forest, along with a colony of giant arachnids gave Harry no comfort, but it really couldn’t be worse than what was already out there.

_**No, it is bound to the school and can’t leave.** _

_You are the Heir of Slytherin, can’t you...unbound it?_

_**I would have to do some research, that wouldn’t be a bad idea.** _

_Maybe some of the teachers could help you, if you told them about it._

**_And tell them that I’ve been out past curfew and going places that I’m not supposed to. You must be kidding. Besides they would most likely destroy it._ **

_Sorry, stupid suggestion._

Harry couldn’t say anything. It’s not like he had ever gone to the professors for help.

_**It might be easier to extend the boundaries which the basilisk is bound to, instead of eliminating them completely.** _

_And order it not to harm any students, it wouldn’t be good to have something dangerous on the loose._

**_Of course._ **

Of course. Harry snorted.

_When I was in school, something dangerous got loose and they almost closed the school. I was almost forced to go back to my horrible relatives early._

Harry knew Tom wouldn’t want to be sent back to the orphanage any earlier than he had to, if he couldn’t make him care about students’ safety, he could make him aware of his own situation.

_**They almost closed the school?** _

_Yes._

_**What was it that was so dangerous?** _

_A troll._

Harry felt guilty about the lie, but he couldn’t tell Tom about the chamber now, after not mentioning it earlier.

_**They almost closed the school for a troll. What level of incompetence has Hogwarts sunk to that the staff couldn’t handle a troll?** _

_Well, it wasn’t just a troll, there was someone behind the troll and honestly some of the teachers have gotten less than qualified. Apparently a cursed position deters people from applying._

_**The fact that the curse is still in place is incompetence. Have you been able to figure out how to break the curse yet?** _

_I haven’t been working on it. I got side tracked with the holidays._ Harry reluctantly admitted. He hadn’t even thought about that in weeks.

_**Work on it. I will be very disappointed if you are unable to figure it out.** _

Perfect. Tonight was bringing him crashing back to reality after a long holiday.

_I killed the troll, when I was only eleven. It had my friend trapped in the girls restroom and one of my other friends and I intervened._

_**I’m rolling my eyes. Figure out how to break the curse, until then, I will be unimpressed.** _

_You are so mean._

_**Don’t write to me until you’ve figured out a solution.** _

_What?! That is a bit over the top, don’t you think?_

_**No. Goodnight Harry.** _

_Wait, but what about the chamber? I want to know what’s going on with it._

Apparently that wasn’t going to happen. After saying goodnight, Tom was not going to write anything else until Harry was able to write to him about breaking the curse. “Ugh.” Harry plopped back onto the bed and ran his hands through his hair. Why did Tom have to pick such an inconvenient time to be a condescending brat? He needed to break that curse as soon as possible. Maybe Hermione would be able to help. He scowled down at his hands, he didn’t really want her help. He had made it this far on his own and for once he wanted to figure this out by himself, but with Tom opening the chamber, it might not be a good idea to waste time.

 

“I’m not going to help you.” Hermione fidgeted with her bag for a moment, trying to feel for the clasp.

“Why not? I’m stuck and Tom said he won’t write to me until I’ve figured it out. He’s being completely unreasonable, don’t you think?”

Hermione’s hands found the clasp and her face brightened up a notch. She stuck her hand into her bag and felt around for her ancient runes notes. She was even more organized now. She had been so proud of her new method of distinguishing between her classes books and notes. On the binding she put raised bumps, the number correlating to the order of her classes.

“I have homework to do.”

Hermione couldn’t see the look of indignation on Harry’s face, but she must have heard it in the choked noise of frustration he let out. She didn’t understand how important this was and Harry couldn’t tell her without telling her who Tom was and he had long ago come to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to tell anyone.

“Listen Harry, he obviously thinks you can figure it out on your own and I agree with him. You don’t need my help.”

“You mean you know how to break the curse already too?”

“I have a couple of theories. I’m not sure if they would work without trying them, but…”

“Hermione, can’t you give me a clue at least.” Harry pleaded.

“It’s not the end of the world if you have to go a few days without writing to Tom. If you haven’t figured it out by the end of the weekend, I will help.” Hermione said.

Sunday. That was four days away! He couldn’t wait that long, he would have to figure this out on his own before then, no matter what.

Two days and long nights later, Harry finally thought he had a way to break the curse. Only, it seemed too easy and Harry was doubting if it would work, because in his experience, nothing was ever easy.

_Tom, I think I’ve figured it out._

_**You think? Not sure?** _

_Well I can’t really be a hundred percent sure until next year and the same professor is teaching again._

**_That’s not what I meant. I meant you don’t sound confident._ **

_It seems too easy and that makes me doubt._

**_I told you it was easy._ **

_If the curse is attached to the position itself, in theory, if the position is dissolved, poof, curse gone. Then create a new position, with a different name._

**_And it only took you a month to figure out._ **

_You don’t have to make your praise sound like an insult._ _You might want to work on that if you really are planning on becoming a professor._

**_I’ll keep that in mind._ **

_You don’t seem like you’re in a very good mood. Is something bothering you? Maybe I could help._

**_I doubt you would understand the politics and social scheming involved in being a Slytherin._ **

_No, it seems unnecessary._

**_The scheming isn’t required all the time, but at times it is necessary. It’s because a lot of the students come from old family blood lines, with all the baggage their ancestors have piled up over the centuries. Most of the time, I manage to stay out of it, but if you stay out of it for too long, then you get an overreaching, lazy brat that forgets their place._ **

_Well...that sounds terrifying._

**_How do Gryffindors work through their problems, fists and yelling?_ **

_Then we cry a little, hug it out, and go eat something, because being angry makes people hungry._

**_You really are ridiculous._ **

_I bet you’re smiling, though. Just a small one?_

**_The corner of my mouth twitched._ **

_I’ll count it as a win._

**_I’ve got to go Harry. I’m glad I can write to you again._ **

_Me too! I will keep my parchment with me today if you want to write throughout the day, so that you can let off steam and don’t injure any of your fellow snakes or Hagrid._

**_They would deserve it and speaking of Hagrid._ **

“You look tired today.” Harry quickly hid the two-way parchment under a book and turned around to see Ginny’s face lost all color. “What....who?"

“I’m just studying.” Harry answered.

“The handwriting.” Ginny pointed towards where Harry was hiding the evidence of Tom Riddle, her hand slightly shaking. “It’s his.”

“It’s who’s?” Harry asked, trying to relax and fake innocence.

“Tom Riddle’s. The diary. You have to destroy it.” Ginny looked urgent in her haste to explain to Harry how serious of a situation this was. Her wand was out as if the parchment itself was some sort of threat. Then her voice dropped off and her expression got cold, as she narrowed her eyes. “You know, have known.”

“The diary is destroyed. This isn’t it and it isn’t dangerous. It’s just two way parchment so I can talk to my…” His what? “My friend. The one I’ve mentioned.”

“You’re lying. I can tell. You’ve never been good at it Harry. And look at the way you are protecting it, you’re practically shielding it with your body.”

Ron chose that moment to burst into the room. “Fred and George sent me a list of new products they are working on making. They want me to ask around and see which ones that students are the most interested in.” He looked down at the list, a grin on his face. “Some of these sound bloody brilliant. An answer quill. I wish I had that tomorrow. You can save answers into the quill and then when you take a test it will write out the correct answers for you. I wonder how they plan on pulling that off.”

“George and Fred, sent that to you?” Harry asked. His heart felt like it was in his throat.

“Yes, the both of them.” Ron answered, still reading the list, his grin growing wider the farther down the list he read. “Brilliant.” He repeated.

Harry in all honesty had forgotten about Ginny. He wanted to jump up and down and pull Ron into a hug and see Fred right then and hug him and Ginny.

“Accio parchment.” Ginny commanded and Harry’s parchment slid out from under the book he had stashed it under and landed in Ginny’s outstretched hand. And hex Ginny.

“Hey! Give that back.” Harry was on his feet, his own wand out and pointed at Ginny.

“What are you two on about?” Ron asked, pulling out his own wand, only to waver between Harry and Ginny, as if unsure of who he was supposed to be protecting.

“Ginny, give it back.” Harry’s voice sounded angry and desperate.

“No. Not until you tell the truth.” Ginny held up the paper. “Or I burn it.” She pointed her wand holding the single paper hostage. Harry’s breath caught, she couldn’t destroy it. It was Harry’s way of communicating with Tom, his way of saving his loved ones. He tried to calm down, Tom could always make a new one and send it, but somewhere deep down, irrational fear told him that wasn’t true.

“Fine. I know who’s on the other end. I’m trying to prevent the deaths and the war.” Harry took a step closer, reaching out to grab the paper back, but Ginny only moved it farther out of his reach. “And it’s working.”

“He’s dangerous Harry! You can’t seriously be talking to him. He acts like he cares, but he doesn’t, he’s just using you for information to hurt you with someday. Writing to him is dangerous. This…” She waved the parchment roughly. “is dangerous.”

“You’re going to tear it.” Harry gritted his teeth, “Perhaps, but it’s worth the risk to me.”

“What are you two talking about?!” Ron asked, marching over to Ginny, looking like he was going to take back Harry’s property for him. “Ginny, give Harry his stuff back.”

“He’s writing to Tom Riddle, the same Tom Riddle whose diary nearly killed me. The same Tom Riddle that becomes Lord Voldemort.” Ron didn’t even cringe at the name, but he did go a little pale at the accusation.

“Harry wouldn’t write to Tom Riddle. You’re mental. Hand over the parchment.” Ron said, holding out his hand. “Besides he’s dead, how could he be?”

“He is, he admitted it.” Ginny said. Ron looked away from Ginny and turned a questioning look on Harry.

“He’s not the same Tom Riddle. He’s only sixteen. He’s not hurt anyone or made the diary or made evil plans to become a dark lord. He’s still innocent. And I am changing things, you two just don’t remember because only I can remember what it was like before. Fred was dead! Only you two don’t know, but I do and it’s worth the risk.”

Ginny looked pale again and Ron stuttered. “F-fred...dead.”

“Yes. Along with others.”

Hermione came in through the portal, her otter dissolving upon entry.

“Hermione. I’m glad you’re here.” Ron said, looking pale and unsure.

“I went to the library. I had a book on hold that someone returned today.” She paused taking in the strained silence. The tension was radiating off the three of them. “What’s going on? Is everyone okay? Is someone hurt?”

“Harry’s been writing to You-Know-Who all this time. That’s who Tom is.” Ron said, looking towards Hermione to fix this situation somehow.

“That’s ridiculous. Voldemort is dead.” But Hermione sounded unsure.

“He is dead.” Harry assured, “But the...soulmate spell, I guess it sent Tom’s letter from the past to me. I didn’t know that at first. It was a long time before I figured it out.”

“Harry, you can’t continue to write to him. You could tell him something that could change everything.”

“That’s what he’s trying to do.” Ron told Hermione.

“Harry “ Hermione begin, but Harry cut her off.

“This isn’t anyone’s business. Ginny give it back, now.” Harry said, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

“No.” She said flatly.

“I wasn’t asking.” He threatened. Was he really going to hex Ginny? He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. Tom would never have this problem. His peers would have sat the parchment down on the table gently and then ran away. “Just give it back. I’m being careful, I know what I’m doing and it’s working. I’ve already saved three people, possibly four.” He didn’t mention that the fourth was Tom. “Besides, Tom isn’t that bad at this age. It’s the horcruxes that are the problem.”

“You have to kill someone to make them. And he was willing to kill someone while still in school to do that.” Hermione said, sounding as disbelieving as the other two looked.

“He’s not...going to make any horcruxes and he’s not going to kill anyone.” He hoped.

Ginny looked down at the parchment as Tom’s neat handwriting glided across the paper. “Lets see what Tom Riddle has to say, ‘I think I know why I tried to kill you now.’” Ginny read, a scowl on her face that reminded Harry of Ron.

“Harry, have you told him about the future?” Hermione squeaked.

“Er, not really. It’s a joke. I mean I’ve told him a little, because I had to, to prevent him from making the horcruxes, but I’ve not told him about the war or anything about Voldemort. He’s kind of dramatic sometimes.” Harry tried to keep the fondness he felt towards Tom out of his voice, but he didn’t think he succeeded.

“That half-breed, moron actually sat with me at lunch. At the Slytherin table. He is ruining my reputation and then the clumsy oaf spilled juice in my lap. He’s a menace. How are you friends with him?” Ginny continued reading.

Harry smirked. Hagrid would be good for Tom. He could practice real patience. “Ginny, give it back. I’m not going to change my mind about this.” Harry held his hand out again, his voice quiet and steady.

With perfect timing, Ron chose that moment to remember the indecent picture Tom sent him. “You-Know-Who sent you a nude picture.” Ron blurted out, looking like he didn’t know if he should laugh or be completely disgusted. Harry felt his entire face redden up to his ears.

Ginny handed back Harry’s property and stormed out of the common room. Leaving him with his two friends who weren’t going to give up nearly as easy. Harry a least felt better about the situation and more in control with the return of the two-way parchment, despite knowing that a long lecture and argument was about to ensue.

The three of them stood in silence, Ron and Harry blinking at each other. Harry could almost hear Hermione’s mind clicking rapidly in thought.

“Er...I’m gonna just...go finish my assignment...somewhere else.” Harry folded his shoulders in on himself and tried to slink away. Ron and Hermione both started in at the same time.

“Harry, what were you thinking?”

“Why didn’t you tell us what you were doing?”

“You can’t keep writing to him.”

“What other changes have been made?”

Hermione looked furious, while Ron looked hurt and still confused about the entire matter, as if it still might not even be possible.

“How do you know you are actually writing to You-Know-Who anyway?”

Harry ran his hands through his hair, this was a disaster.

“Listen you two. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you as soon as I knew, but this was something I had to do alone. It’s not something you guys can help me with and it’s...personal now and I still believe I’m doing the right thing.” Neither one of them looked satisfied with this answer. “Besides this is the same person I’ve been writing this entire time, the one that you, Hermione, said was a good influence, and Ron, you pushing me to believe he’s my soulmate.” Harry still didn’t believe that for a minute.

“Now, I’m worried that he’s influencing you at all.” Hermione said, still looking like she would blow up any second.

“I don’t know, perhaps it’s because of the Horcrux and the spell got confused. I didn’t know all the information at the time.” Ron grumbled.

“Neither did I, but now that I’ve gotten to know him I think I can make a difference and I’m going to keep writing him.” Harry tried to sound confident and unmovable in his decision, but his voice came out uncertain and his shoulders wanted to slump again. He battled to stand up straight for a few seconds, but then lost it and slumped forward. Harry grabbed the rest of his stuff off the table and fled and to his surprise they allowed him. Harry heard Hermione protest, but Ron quieted her, “Let him go. There’s nothing else to say right now.” Harry would have been more relieved that Ron was being calm if he hadn’t caught the expression of barely held back anger in his eyes.

Harry hid from the rest of his classmates for the rest of the day.

_My friends found out that you are from the past and are very unhappy with me._

Harry didn’t know why he was telling Tom this, but he didn’t have anyone else that would agree with him.

_**Are you going to stop writing to me, now that they know and disapprove?** _

_No, I don’t care that they disapprove. I’m going to keep writing to you. I guess I just wish they wouldn’t be upset about it, but that’s unrealistic. They say I shouldn’t be messing with the past._

_**You could change your past and present.** _

_I know, that’s what I want._

_**Witches and Wizards are scared of the unknown and raw possibilities of magic. It’s a shame, because we would be capable of so much more if only we weren’t held back by the constraints of a weak society too afraid to take chances and stuck in the set ways of what is familiar, instead of what could be better.** _

_I’m not afraid to take a chance. I thought that you agreed with blood purity and I feel like blood purity is the opposite of change, they hold tighter than anyone to traditions and set ways._

_**Why would I care about blood purity? I do care about the old magical bloodlines, because they were powerful, but over the years they are growing less so and I want to know why.** _

_I blame it on the inbreeding._

_**Your theory has been noted.** _

Harry laughed. Harry knew that Tom would have to get going soon, he had prefect duties today.

_Before you have to leave, you asked earlier if I was going to stop writing to you._

_**Have you changed your mind already?** _

_No, I haven't changed my mind. I’m not going to either. If for some reason, I stop writing, it won’t be because I decided to stop or I gave up, it will be because I can’t, for whatever reason._

_**Do you think your friends are going to force you to stop?** _

_Of course not. I was just thinking about what you said earlier about changing my past and present and I thought if something changed, then I might not be able to write or something. This is all over my head, but I wouldn’t want you to think that I just all of a sudden stopped writing to you, because I wouldn’t do that._

_**I understand what you are saying.** _

_Good._

Harry snuck back past curfew and climbed into bed as quietly as possible. He would talk with Ron tomorrow. He was tired tonight and he still didn’t know what he would say. Maybe a good night's rest would help.

 

Harry recognized the cemetery where he landed. The gravestone pattern was ingrained in his mind.

“Where are we?” Was the only thing Cedric Diggory had time to ask, before their wands were ripped from their hands and he heard the familiar, inhuman voice.

“Kill the spare.”

“No!” Harry screamed. Trying to pull Cedric back, but he was always too slow. Too late and just in time to see the green flash and Cedric's unblinking eyes.

Next thing, Harry was bound to cold stone, looking down at a large boiling cauldron, and Wormtail, leaning over it, while the frail form of Voldemort hissed demands at him. All the while, fear and hatred boiled up inside Harry.

Voldemort still lacking any sign of humanity and handsome appearance, stood in front of Harry. “Join me, Harry.” Lifting Harry’s face to look at him, more gentle than expected. “Together we can force change and be unstoppable.”

“I would never join you, someone who kills without a thought. You killed my parents!” Harry jerked his face away from Voldemort’s hand, his touch as revolting as the rest of him. “I would rather die.”

“Maybe that would be for the best, but...we’ve yet to duel. I have to know if you were telling the truth.”

“A duel?” Harry had no clue what he was talking about, only part of him did and it shot pain though his head, like his brain was being torn apart.

Harry’s wand was in his hand and Voldemort was standing across from him. “We bow to each other, we must do this properly. Harry, bow.” Then. “Imperius.” “Bow to me, Harry.”

But Harry didn’t want to bow. He didn’t want to duel, he didn’t want Cedric to be dead and Tom to be the one to have killed him. He wanted to ask Tom why, but instead he screamed, “No!” And shook the Imperius off. Throwing off a few miner hex’s that came to mind as distraction.

Then he was on the ground with Cedric’s body underneath his, holding on to it, because he didn’t want to look at it. But when he closed his eyes all he could see was Voldemort looking down at him disappointed and cold.

 

Harry woke up, breathing hard and shaking. He hadn’t had that dream in a long time. Actually he’d never had that version of the nightmare. That one was new and different and still the same. Harry cast Lumos and without thinking pulled out the picture he had of Tom. This was who he was writing, not who he dreamed about. They aren’t the same. Harry had managed through trial and error to get the picture to only show the first few seconds. Tom blinked and then smiled.

_Tom. Promise me you won’t make any Horcruxes. I need to know. I need to...believe that you won’t._

_**You are up early. Is everything okay?** _

_No. Everything is not okay. Promise me, please._

_**So far I have not found any alternative options.** _

_Then just take care of yourself and age and die like everyone else. Wizards can live to be 200 years old. Why do you need more time? Learn how to speed read or get a time turner. Or invent a way to absorb the knowledge of a book without reading it. You’d make millions. I know you have unlimited potential. I believe this, but if you go down that path, then...you will ruin yourself. When I found out who you were, I hesitated to continue talking to you, but I decided to because I thought there was a chance that I could make a change, for myself, for the ones I cared about. I didn’t think that you’d end up being the one I care about saving the most._

Harry finished his ramble and looked down at the parchment, worrying if he’d said too much and still feeling sweaty and sick from his nightmare.

**_I promise._ **

Harry looked down at the two tiny words that meant so much, in utter disbelief. He promised. What did you say to a promise like that? Thank you?

_**Aminta is what I’ve decided to name our snake. It means protector.** _

_I like that._

_**I’ve been working with her on her ability to add to protective spells. I was thinking about using her to help me cast a patronus, once she is older and has more control over her abilities.** _

_Brilliant._

_**I know.** _

Harry ended up staying up talking to Tom. He didn’t think he would’ve been able to fall back asleep anyway and Harry could tell Tom was trying to distract him and make him feel better. He kept the conversation light and humorous the entire time.

_**I’ll write to you throughout the day, if you would like.** _

_Yeah, I would like that._

_**I have a lead on broadening the boundaries for the basilisk. Aminta will be happy, she is jealous and acting out. I’ve been threatening to give her to that oaf if she doesn’t behave, it only works about a quarter of the time. She is a brat.** _

_Keep me posted._

 

Breakfast was a tense meal. Ron and Hermione wouldn’t talk to Harry and Ginny was glaring daggers at him from down the table. “This is why I didn’t tell you guys. I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

“I understand some of it, but...you’re in a relationship with the person that killed your parents. He blinded Hermione!” Ron said loudly, drawing a few stares from the people around them.

“Shh.” Harry glanced at Seamus, who was openly watching them now. “I’ve told you that I don’t feel that way about him and he hasn’t done anything like that yet. What if he doesn't? Wouldn’t it be worth the risk.” Harry whispered.

“And who’s going to pay for the risk? I want my vision back and I want all those lives lost back too, but not at the risk of others. What if it’s Ron’s life at risk or the difference between winning and losing the war?” Hermione asked.

Harry couldn’t say anything. Hermione had been one of the people to pay for the risk so far, but he couldn’t say that. He knew she was right, but Tom had promised and maybe Harry was an idiot and being naive, but the thought of quitting now, just the thought of it felt like a knife twisting in his chest.

“I can’t stop now.” The words were barely audible. “I can’t give up on him, because…” Tom didn’t have anyone else to look after him. Harry couldn’t just abandon him. “It would be worse. It would undo the progress I’ve made and he wouldn’t understand why I stopped writing to him.” Harry looked up at his friends expectantly. “He would be hurt.”

“Ron, does he look as in love and lost as I’m picturing?” Hermione asked.

“Yes and it’s bloody terrifying.” Ron said.

“I’m not in love.” Harry argued.

“Harry, yes you are and I don’t get it, but it’s the only reason I’m not completely angry at you for being so stupid.”

“Hey.” Harry pouted.

“Tom Riddle...” Ron paused as if having to force his words out. “is his soulmate. I suppose he can’t help it.” Ron sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than stick up for his friend.

Hermione looked like she wanted to protest as much as Harry did, but she snapped her mouth shut into a tight line and Harry followed suit. If thinking they were soulmates would help Ron come to terms with Harry continuing to write Tom, then he wasn’t going to say anything.

“Let’s go Ron. We aren’t going to convince him and I’m too worried to eat.” She held her arm out and Ron jumped to his feet to escort her to where she wanted to go. He shot Harry an angry look before moving away from the table, but Harry noted that the look wasn’t as angry as yesterday, which meant he was starting to soften, just a tad. He dropped his head onto the table, he wasn’t really hungry either.

It was the weekend, so Harry didn’t even have classes to distract him and there was no way that homework was going to hold his attention for a second. He wandered around outside the castle grounds, enjoying the crisp air, until he started getting cold, he cast a couple heating charms, but they never helped as much as a warm fire did.

“Harry, yer gonna freeze t’ death out here on a day like today.” Hagrad strolled up with his usual thick cloak draped heavily over his thick shoulders, he made the weather look like it was nothing but a cool autumn day.

“I was getting some fresh air.” Harry commented, his teeth chattered towards the end of his sentence. He was colder than he had thought.

“Come inside and get warmed up before headin’ back t’ the castle.” Harry tensed at the pat on the back that Hagrid was going to give him, but the pat that came was less forceful than usual. “I’ll feel better knowin’ yeh ain’t frozed.”

Harry accepted the offer, he really wasn’t ready to go back to the castle just yet and Hagrid would offer a distraction.

Hagrid sat a steaming cup of tea in front of Harry and placed a warm blanket over his shoulders. It was still so strange to see Hagrid using magic so freely, his wand held in his thick fist, moved in graceful movements that seemed strangely familiar. The dying embers in the fire burst to life.

“Thanks Hagrid.”

“It’s nothin.” The chair creaked under Hagrid’s heavy weight as he took the seat across from Harry. “Now what's goin’ on with yeh? Yeh seem down, yeh ain’t got into a fight with, er...anyone, have ya?”

Harry looked up surprised, that seemed like a strange question to ask. Did someone tell Hagrid about Tom? He didn’t look that worried about it if they did. “Not really. Just Ron and Hermione are upset about something I didn’t tell them about. I can’t really blame them, but I also can’t...do what they want me to.”

“Well, I wouldn’t get upset abou’ that!” Hagrid voice came out loud and cheerful and made Harry jump. “Friends like Ron and Hermione will come around as long as they see yer happy. Besides, everyone deserves a second chance. Albus Dumbledore believed so and I ain’t one to talk about holding mistakes against anyone. I’ve had my fair share, that’s fer sure and I wouldn’ be here if Dumbledore, the good wizard he is, didn’t give me the chance t’ be.”

Harry sipped his tea and blinked. Harry didn’t really know what Hagrid was talking about, but the advice did seem to hold true.

“Er, do you mean about how Professor Dumbledore let you become grounds keeper and teach?”

“Yes and kept me out of Azkaban. Not everyone that followed You-Know-Who was bad, there are lots of reasons fer people to get misled or tricked, or like in Draco Malfoy’s case, just plain fear and survival.”

Harry blinked again. Why were they talking about Draco Malfoy all of a sudden?

“I can’t believe they considered sending you to Azkaban at such a young age.” Harry scowled down at his tea, Hagrid was only thirteen, but that wasn’t right. He didn’t get framed in school, Harry’s mind shifted and he tried to remember which reality was real in the continue flow of change and if’s, it was so hard to grasp solid memories these days. Maybe he would end up saving Tom only to end up insane himself.

“They sent a lot younger than me. I was old enough t’ know better.” This time it was Hagrid’s turn to scowl, only this time his eyes filled up with tears. “I shoulda known better and here you forgave me even after you found out, never treated me differently even after wha I did. Yer parents would be so proud and Dumbledore would be proud of you Harry for forgivin’ Draco Malfoy, don’t worry about what others think, you’ve always been able t’ do the right thing and if you want to be in a relationship with him then that’s what you should do. You deserve to be happy after ever’thing you’ve been through.”

“What?” Harry’s mind was following along happily, until he heard that. “I’m not in a relationship with Draco Malfoy. Sure I forgive him, whatever, but that doesn't mean I like him. We barely get along.” Harry had jumped to his feet, the blanket falling to the ground. “Why would you think that I’m in a relationship with Malfoy?”

“Er...you’re not…” Hagrid shrugged his big shoulders, “Somethin’ I heard from the other professors.”

“The other professors!” Harry pictured the other professors sitting around a table in some room with snacks and coffee discussing student’s love lives. “Don’t they have better things to talk about?”

“It’s not like that, Harry. It was just somethin’ mentioned in passing around Christmas. The professors don’t care abou’ stuff like that. I think they were worried about the Malfoy lad coming back here, and were happy that you’ve become...er friends with him.”

“Well they’re wrong. I’m not friends with him or anything else.” Malfoy? “He’s a git.”

“Sorry, I thought that was what Ron and Hermione were upset about.” Nope. Harry couldn’t fancy a git, Dark Lord follower, like Malfoy. He had to go and get attached to the future Dark Lord himself, Tom Riddle. Harry lost steam and settled back down into his chair. Slughorn, that’s why he was assuming about the potions book and the Slytherin textbook. Harry had thought it was strange that he winked at him as if he knew the perfect gift to give. Malfoy would have drooled all over that potions book and he did ask Malfoy what he wanted for Christmas, right before asking Slughorn for advice on a present.

“It’s okay Hagrid, but I’m really not interested in Malfoy, it must have been a misunderstanding.”

“Oh, then what are Hermione and Ron upset about?” Harry opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Er. The little snake is doing great. The friend I was telling you about is teaching it to enhance protective spells, just like you said that they do sometimes.” Harry forced a fake smile onto his face.

“That’s great Harry. I’m glad that it’s found a good home. The others are just about ready to be set free.”

“I think I’ll head back to the castle now.”

“Alright. Straight there then, no stoppin for anymore fresh air, it’s too cold.”

“Yes, sir.”

Harry draped the blanket over the chair and cast another heat charm on himself before leaving the warmth of Hagrid’s cabin.

“You said people deserve a second chance, do you think that’s the case for everyone?”

“Everyone.”

“What about Tom Riddle? Even him?” Hagrid closed his mouth for a second. “Well, he’s dead, so can’t really give him a second chance, can we and if he was still alive...I think he was too far gone. You did what you had to, there wasn’t a thing you coulda’ done differently at the time.” Harry nodded.

He couldn’t turn to other people to make his choice, he already knew that and he wasn’t going to get reassurance from others. He dug his grave, he would lay in it if he had to. Harry entered the castle through the main entrance and then turned left, he would take the long way back to the tower, besides, there was something he wanted to check.

The trophy room was empty, as usual. Harry scanned the rows of plaques and trophies familiar with there placements after the number of detentions he had served polishing them. His eyes finally landed on the plaque he was searching for.

Tom Riddle

For special services to Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

Through bravery and placing the safety of others before himself, he saved the life of a fellow student and helped make the school a safer place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who has been commenting and leaving kudos, it means so much to me.
> 
> Also this week I wrote a bonus section of a scene between Tom and Hagrid, told from Tom's point of view that I will be posting sometime soon. So look forward to an extra post this week.


	10. 9.5 Special Services to the School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The extra bonus section I promised.

Being a prefect had its perks, but it could really be quite boring at times. Usually he would skim off and end up using it as an excuse to go somewhere other students weren’t allowed and lately to sneak off to the Chamber of Secrets. The other Slytherin’s weren’t being as impressed as they should, and that was irritating. Black had challenged him by telling him to prove it, starting by clearing out the riff raff. Tom scowled at the idea. How dare Black try to tell him what to do? Perhaps Tom should clear out the riff raff, as Black put it, by ordering the basilisk to attack him. The fear on Black’s face would be priceless and no one else would dare to speak to him in such a manner again.

He took a deep breath, rash decisions created mistakes and he couldn’t afford to make mistakes, his constant precarious status with his peers wouldn’t allow it. Nor the ever watchful Dumbledore, he was always looking for something to get him in trouble for. If he got caught seriously injuring another student, he would probably get kicked out and sent back to the orphanage with a one way ticket. Dumbledore really had too much pull with Headmaster Dippet and if whispers were true, he was nominated to become the next Headmaster after Dippet retired in a few years. No wonder the staff has gotten so lax and incompetent that they couldn’t handle a troll (if he could believe what Harry had wrote to him). With Dumbledore as Headmaster, the school probably went to Hell. Poor Harry having to be taught in such a disgraceful manner, not to mention the lack of safety at the school. Of course, Harry could be exaggerating to impress Tom.

Tom let out a sigh, he was spending too much time thinking about Harry, from the future or not, he was a distraction. He should have never written him back after that third letter, but the curiosity got him and Tom couldn’t quit the nagging feeling that he would someday be important.

Tom’s turning mind came to a grinding halt at the time he turned the next corner. A terrified scream echoed through the hall and Tom took off at a sprint towards the cry. The screams were coming from the direction he was headed, a few seconds later, the cause came into view. A large acromantula, the size of a labrador retriever, had an unfortunate looking girl trapped against the wall, her screams sounded nasally and her glasses were askew.

The arachnid lunged, sinking teeth into the girl’s shielding arm. Tom lifted his wand to cast a stunning hex, but at the same time he went to cast, a bulky form jumped in between him and the eight-legged monster.

“No! Don’t hurt him, he didn’t mean it.” Tom’s hex hit the idiot in his way instead of the spider, but it didn’t seem to affect the half-giant, which was something to file away for later.

“Aragog, stop.” He bellowed, turning his back on Tom, like a foolish Griffyndor. Tom continued to hold his wand up, wondering what spells would work on Hagrid, he could probably get by with casting anything he wanted on him at this point. He could play it off as self-defense and who would believe a half giant, nuisance over a prefect and model student like Tom? Professor Dumbledore, but Tom didn’t care about him at the moment. Tom lowered his wand, with disappointment, magic still tingling under his fingers. Harry would find out and supposedly, Hagrid, the weepy half man, was a friend. Tom gritted his teeth at the sight in front of him. Hagrid was blubbering and crying, unsure of how to help the girl paralyzed and unconscious on the floor and unsure of how to continue to protect the monster that he had clearly adopted. Tom had told Hagrid to get rid of it, but clearly, he didn’t listen.

“Move out of the way.” Tom ordered. “And tell that-” He pointed the tip of his wand, glaring at the thing in all eight of its eyes. “to get back.”

“Hagrid, let me eat her.” It insisted.

“Aragog, get back.” Hagrid picked the thing up and moved back to give Tom space.

Tom cast a few rudimental medical spells, it wasn’t really his specialty. He cast a tourniquet spell on the arm that had been bitten to keep the venom from spreading. “I’m going to have to take her to receive medical aid, luckily, acromantula venom is slow acting, she should be fine by tomorrow morning.”

“What are we going to tell the professors?” Tom looked up to see a sight he never needed to see in his life. Hagrid was holding the large spider in his arms, hugging the thing tight to his chest, a set of spindly legs wrapped around his stomach, his chest, and the other two sets around his shoulders and neck. It was a disturbing sight.

“I will think of something. Go and take that thing with you.” Hagrid nodded, but looked uncertain. “And say nothing about this. The last thing I need is you saying something that contradicts me. We will figure out what to do tomorrow, until then, go back to the dorms, it’s past curfew. I’ll give you a five minute head start.”

“Righ’ then.” Hagrid turned to leave, surprisingly quick and graceful for his size. “Thanks Tom. I owe you one.”

“Yes. You do.” Tom said, not even looking away from the girl on the floor.

 

 

“Tom, go over what happened one more time.” Professor Dumbledore had just arrived and he apparently wanted to force Tom to recount what happened for a third time, as if he were the suspect, instead of the hero.

“I was performing my rounds as prefect and I heard a scream. When I arrived, there was an acromantula attacking a girl, it bit her and she collapsed. I cast a stunning hex at the thing, but missed and it ran away.” Here Tom paused and looked Professor Dumbledore in the eye. “I decided not to chase after it, because I thought getting medical treatment for the victim was more important.”

Professor Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled behind his spectacles and Tom waited for the familiar twenty questions game and look of distrust at every answer. Instead, he smiled, “And you were absolutely right, Mr. Riddle, the welfare of a student should always come first.” Dumbledore looked at the other teachers. “Five hundred points to Slytherin for bravery and thinking fast in the face of danger and another five hundred points for helping a fellow student.”

The other teachers nodded their approval, none more vigorously than Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin.

“What is an acromantula doing in Hogwarts? They aren’t native to this area and the selling of the eggs are illegal.” Professor Hill shook her head.

“You didn’t see anyone or anything else?” Professor Slughorn asked.

“No sir, I wish I could be of more help on the matter. If you need me to do any extra patrols or searches, I would be happy to volunteer my time.”

“That is quite alright. The staff will handle this from here on out, Tom.” Professor Dumbledore gave Tom another smile that made Tom begin to get suspicious of the old fool.

“You’ve done plenty, I think you would have made a good Gryffindor, Tom.”

“Don’t insult me, Professor.” Tom retorted without thinking, a smirk on his face. What would Harry say about this situation when he told him? Was this how you impressed Gryffindors, by taking on dangerous creatures? Harry had bragged about taking on a troll, he had probably never taken on a giant spider. He would tell him about it tomorrow, after he thought about what to do with Hagrid, that thing couldn’t stay here.

Dumbledore laughed, “Twenty more points for house pride.” Tom just blinked, he had never been on the receiving end of Dumbledore’s generous point giving before. He tried to hide the distrust he felt creeping up into his face.

“If I’m not needed anymore, I would like to go. I still have an essay to finish. If I could be excused?”

“Of course, my boy.” Professor Slughorn agreed “And if you aren’t up to finishing it, I will write you a note for a day’s extension. That wouldn’t be unfair after the stress you have encountered today.”

“Thank you Professor, but that shouldn’t be needed.” Tom thought about the night’s events on his way back to the dungeons. Apparently, there was something to be gained from these heroics, perhaps Gryffindors weren’t as stupid as they always seemed. And Tom wasn’t even being heroic because he was never in danger, as if he couldn’t take on a measly spider.

Tomorrow, he would meet with Hagrid and they would sneak that stupid pet of his into the Forbidden Forest and that would be the end of it, but not before he used it to make a fool out of Black, Tom had it on good authority that he was terrified of spiders. The image of Black waking up to Aragog on his chest, venom dripping in his face sent tingles of pleasure all the way to his toes. Black would probably wet the bed and he would know better to ever try to tell Tom what he should and shouldn’t do. He wouldn’t even need to use the basilisk at all, unless Black tried to tattle on him. Then Tom would order it to slither around Blacks annoying throat, until the only words he ever muttered to Tom again were the appropriate praise he deserved and only then when told to speak.


	11. 10 Professor Riddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay on this chapter. It took me extra time to finish it, because it's a long chapter and because we are coming to an end and it's always harder for me to write the end then the beginning.

Harry finally returned to the tower to find Ron and Hermione gone. Relieved, he let out the breath he didn’t even know he was holding. Ginny was on the couch shooting him a glare and that was bad enough.

He wanted to roll his eyes and retire to the privacy of his bed’s curtains, but he did neither.

“Ginny, how long do you plan on staying mad?”

“Until one, you tear that atrocity up, or two, you change things so much that Tom doesn’t make the diary and I almost don't die. Since you think YOU can change him.”

Harry did roll his eyes this time. T

hen plopped down next to her, putting an arm around her. “Don’t be like that. I was the one that saved you in the Chamber and now I’m going to save the rest. Don’t you want that?”

Ginny elbowed Harry in the ribs and inched away, but she didn’t go far. “Don’t ask me stupid questions! Of course, I want that. Everyone wants that!”

“This is the way.” Harry said.

Ginny rested her arms across her chest and looked like she was thinking. “I won’t be mad anymore.” She said, her face more relaxed. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t try and if you make things worse, then I won’t remember anyway. I will tell you one thing that my mom tells me all the time and then I’ll drop it.”

Harry couldn’t help the grin that formed on his face. Today had ended up being sort of a good day, all and all.

“You can’t change them and if you think you can fix a man, then you’re going to end up broken with him.”

“I’m not trying to change him. I’m trying to keep him from making the horcruxes, that’s all.”

“That’s all.” Ginny repeated and then laughed, “You make it sound so simple. You are the proof that what my mom says is true.” Ginny was still grinning as she patted Harry on the leg and stood, but she had a hint of sadness behind her soft eyes. “Because you are still the exact same Harry.”

“Should I change?”

“No, I guess not.”

Ginny left Harry sitting on the couch by himself. He checked his watch and escaped to his bed like he wanted to. His body was tired after spending most of the day in the cold. He scribbled a hello to Tom and then waited...and waited.

Harry looked down at the parchment and frowned, it wasn’t like Tom to be late. He was a punctuality nazi. Harry hoped that everything was okay. After seeing the plaque, Harry had rushed upstairs to the girls bathroom to find that Moaning Myrtle was no longer haunting it. He had changed something else and another life was saved. When he went back to the Gryffindor tower, he had wanted to tell Ron and Hermione about his success, but they hadn’t been there and he probably wouldn’t have ended up telling them. His frown turned into a smile again at just the thought, but then it fell back off. Where was he?

_I hope everything is alright._

Harry was relieved at the sight of Tom’s neat writing, finally responding.

**_Everything is fine. Sorry to keep you waiting, but I was busy saving a girl’s life that got attacked by an acromantula and covering for the idiot that brought it into the school. All in a night’s duty as a prefect._ **

**_I don’t think I need to elaborate on who the idiot is._ **

Harry shook his head, Tom seemed so smug and proud of himself.

_Sounds like you had an entertaining evening._

**_You would consider dire situations entertaining, but that wasn’t even the most interesting part of the evening. The interesting part was what happened after I got the girl to the Hospital Wing._ **

_Did they give you a medal and proclaim you to be the bravest prefect of them all?_

**_Maybe I should go tell someone else about the events of my story…..._ **

_No! I was just kidding. I want very much to hear what happened. I’m wondering about the girl that was attacked, because something changed in my timeline. A girl died during the current school year you are in and had been haunting Hogwarts, but now she’s not. You really did save a girl’s life, that’s amazing!_

Harry waited for Tom to reply, but received nothing. He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated.

_What happened after you dropped Myrtle off at the Hospital Wing?_

**_Is that her name? Her name is as unfortunate as her appearance._ **

Harry sighed with relief.

_Yes, we called her Moaning Myrtle because she cried all the time._

**_That’s rude._ **

_I didn’t call her that to her face._

**_That makes it so much better._ **

_I hope that she starts following you around, proclaiming you to be her hero and trying to spy on you in the prefects’ bath waters._

**_How do you know about the prefects’ bathroom?_ **

_Is it supposed to be a secret?_

**_I suppose, not a very well kept one. The question I should have asked was, did an incorporeal someone spy on you in the bath waters?_ **

_Yes, it was unsettling._

**_Do you want me to hex her for you?_ **

_No! Is your solution to everything a hex? Don’t answer that, I thought you were telling me about how heroic you were tonight and what happened at the Medical Wing._

**_After taking the girl to the Medical Wing, I ended up having to go over what happened several times with the professors and when I was finished, Professor Dumbledore actually awarded me house points. A large amount of house points. He even told me I did a good job and that I would have made a good Gryffindor._ **

_Maybe, I’m rubbing off on you. Us Gryffindors are contagious. And you did do a good job, why wouldn’t you get house points?_

**_Professor Dumbledore hates me, that’s why. It was as unsettling as the image of Myrtle spying on people in the bathroom._ **

_I’m sure Professor Dumbledore doesn’t hate you._

**_It would be like that potions teacher awarding you a large amount of house points._ **

_Yeah, he would never do that. If anything, he would take them away and say that I shouldn’t have been out past curfew._

**_I was expecting Dumbledore to give me house points, he usually does, only I was expecting him to ask me a thousand questions first and then only give me ten points and the girl I saved a hundred, just for not dying._ **

_I’m glad he didn’t. You deserve five thousand house points, at least._

**_I can tell what kind of professor you’ll be, if you ever became one._ **

Harry laughed. He had never thought about that aspect of being a teacher. He probably would hand them out a bit leniently.

_So you didn’t tell the professors about Hagrid?_

**_No, I didn’t. It would have served him right if I did. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he is a menace._ **

_Thank you._

**_You will have to thank me again, because I plan on helping him release that monstrosity into the forest._ **

_Really? That’s great Tom._

**_The only reason I’m helping him release it is because if I don’t, he might try to keep it for a few more weeks._ **

Harry was grinning like an idiot.

_If you were in front of me, I could kiss you._

**_Oh, really?_ **

Harry’s face heated up.

_It’s an expression of speech._

**_So I don’t deserve a kiss?_ **

_It doesn’t matter, because you are there and I am here and you know? Impossible._

**_For now, but what happens when I don’t make any horcruxes and I find a different way to become immortal?_ **

_I haven’t a clue._

**_I think I will definitely deserve a kiss._ **

_I don’t think I can think that far ahead. Maybe, I don’t know. That’s what I would like to happen, but if it actually did, I would have to rethink a lot of things. My world would be turned upside down. It would change everything._

**_I’m sure I’m going to be an amazing kisser, but I don’t know if I will be good enough to turn your world upside down._ **

_That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t talking about the kiss. I was talking about the whole ‘not becoming a crazy person and ruining my life.’_

**_I ruined your life. Future me gets worse and worse each time we write._ **

_You didn’t ruin it, but you...had a big impact on it and my family. A lot could change if you don’t go down that road, is all._

**_I will try to go down a different road._ **

_If ever in doubt, just ask yourself, what would Harry do?_

**_I don’t have a death wish._ **

_I never died. Well I guess one time, technically. Maybe think about if it will damage your soul or help your soul instead._

**_I need to change my future, so that I can protect you from yourself. Since it sounds like you don’t have anyone else to do it._ **

_They try._

**_They should try harder._ **

_I’ll let them know._

**_Doubtful._ **

_True, at least not tonight. I’m exhausted and about to fall asleep while writing._

**_Good night, Harry._ **

_Night. You really did do an amazing job tonight._

**_I know._ **

_Tomorrow?_

**_Of course, same time._ **

Harry was so tired, he didn’t even put the parchment away. He just shoved it to the side, pulled his blankets up around his face and fell asleep, feeling warmer and happier than he had for days, possibly a lifetime.

 

Harry jolted awake. Where was he? He pushed his glasses up higher on his face and looked around the unfamiliar room, wondering how he had gotten here.

“Harry. You better hurry up, you’re going to be late.”

Late for what? Harry tossed the bed covers aside, determined to find something out. He would talk to Hermione and figure things out. He must have drastically changed things this time. Considering he wasn’t in the Hogwarts dormitory retaking his missed seventh year. He hoped this was a good sign, but he couldn’t remember his new memories yet, it usually took a couple days for his brain to adjust.

Harry swung the bedroom door open. “Hermione?” Harry called at his friend’s receding back.

“Harry. You only have ten minutes until your interview and you’re not even dressed!” She threw her hands up into the air. “I knew I should’ve woken you up sooner, but Ron said you were an adult and I didn’t need to.”

“Interview? I forgot that it was today.” Harry muttered.

“You forgot. How could you forget? You have been talking about it non stop for a week. I know the Headmaster is lenient, but you should still be taking this seriously. It’s been years since they have had any staff positions open and you will be the youngest candidate applying for it.”

“What do you think I should wear?” Harry asked, not even knowing what position he was applying for. This was not a good day to not have a clue.

“Professional robes.”

Harry nodded and then turned back to his room. Freezing at the doorway. “Er, what position am I applying for again?”

Hermione looked exasperated for a second, then she smirked. “Very funny, Harry.”

If only he was joking. “Yeah. I almost had you.” He said, smiling, while panicking on the inside. There was no possible way he was going to get the job. He would just get dressed, show up and hope to find out some information. Maybe he could see if Dumbledore was alive and if so, ask him for help.

Harry found a set of professional robes in his wardrobe and tried to force his hair to bend to his will. Harry ended up bending to his hair’s will instead and let it be. Maybe, Tom knew a good hair spell. The parchment! Harry forgot his interview and his hair and pulled the drawer to his nightstand open. There was a book, a stray quill, one sock missing it’s mate, but no parchment magically attached to Tom. He slammed the drawer shut and checked the second drawer. Remembering he hadn’t put it up last night, he got on his hands and knees to search around the bed.

“Harry?” Hermione asked, swinging the door open. “What are you doing? You should have left five minutes ago.”

“Er, looking for something I wanted to take to...the interview with me. A good luck charm.”

“You don’t need a lucky charm, you need to be on time.” Hermione shook her head, her hair tumbling into her face.

“I’m leaving. Going right now.” Harry stood up from the floor, tearing apart his entire room would have to wait until after he was done botching his interview up.

Hermione was practically pushing Harry to the fireplace so he could floo to his interview, as if she didn’t trust him to make it there on his own. Which wasn’t unreasonable, because Harry didn’t really trust himself to make it there. He didn’t even know where he should be flooing to. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stood there thinking, debating in his head about the location.

“What are you waiting for? I know you’re nervous, but really, Harry.” Before Harry had a chance to hesitate anymore, she grabbed her own handful of floo powder and called Headmaster Dumbledore’s office and shoved Harry through.

He landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor, his professional robes up over his head, messing his hair up more. He fought the robes back into place and jumped to his feet, his hope that no one saw was quickly dashed. As soon as he was on his feet, he was able to see Professor Dumbledore calmly sitting at his desk as if Harry hadn’t just came through the floo as if for the first time.

“Lemon Drop?” Dumbledore slid the jar of hard candies across his desk, the chair gliding back to invite Harry to sit.

Harry took the seat, unable to stop looking at Dumbledore. He looked younger, which Harry took as a good sign, perhaps without the strain of two wars, he didn’t age as much. Harry smiled wide and for old times sake, took a candy. “Thank you, Professor.”

“That was quite the entrance you made.”

“Er, I was a little nervous for my interview, sir and well Hermione, she kind of gave me a push.”

“Ah. What would we be able to accomplish without those around to push us?”

Harry couldn’t stop grinning. This was great! He probably wouldn’t get the job, but it was still worth the interview to get a chance to talk to Dumbledore for a bit.

Dumbledore sat up a little straighter in his chair, “Well, let’s hope we never have to find out.”

Harry could agree a hundred percent with that.

“The best part about teaching is getting to help children accomplish so much and see what each one will choose to do with the knowledge they gain. I continually get surprised by the students that have passed through these hallways.”

“It sounds like teaching would be a daily adventure.”

“Yes, not always a fun adventure, but an adventure nonetheless.” Harry nodded, thinking about all the trouble he caused in school, or worse, the twins.

“Teaching can be rewarding, but it can also be trying. As a professor, you can’t always be a friend, sometimes you have to be a stick in the mud.” Dumbledore wiggled the glasses on his face and looked at Harry expectantly, it made Harry nervous.

“Safety and learning first.” Harry said, forcing himself to keep eye contact, even though he really really wanted to look away.

“Is that something you think you are capable of doing, Mr. Potter?” The twinkle in Dumbledore’s eyes contradicted the serious tone he had.

“I believe so, sir.” Harry answered. “Er, I mean. Yes I can...Sir.” He added trying to sound more confident, although he didn’t know why. He didn’t think that anyone in the history of Hogwarts had been able to fool Dumbledore. Not even Tom Riddle. Tom, he needed to figure out what became of him. Was he alive? Did he end up not making horcruxes? Harry needed to know.

“That finishes up the office, one on one portion. Let us take a walk around the castle and see if any of the other professors are around yet.” Dumbledore announced suddenly. They were done with the interview? Did that mean he was doing good, or bad?

“Yeah, great idea.” Harry jumped to his feet, happy to be not sitting across from Dumbledore anymore. He felt exposed and he still didn’t know what position he was applying to teach yet.

“I know you are familiar with the castle. More than most, if I had to guess.” Dumbledore gave Harry a conspiring grin. “But, I will show you around anyhow.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Professor.” Dumbledore laughed.

They started their tour in the familiar Gryffindor Towers and then worked their way down west to the Ravenclaw’s common rooms. Harry curiously looked around, never actually being in this area before. Hermione would have been jealous, Ravenclaw's common room had its own massive bookshelves stuffed with books.

“I never would have made it as a Ravenclaw.” Harry commented.

“Most students could easily be sorted into two, even three of the houses, but there is always one house that just wouldn’t suit them.”

“What house wouldn’t suit you, Professor?”

“Call me Albus, Harry. I am no longer your professor.”

“Er, I don’t know if I can get use to that, but I’ll try.”

“I think that although it would probably do me some good, I wouldn’t be suited for Hufflepuff.” Dumbledore smiled at Harry’s surprised face. “Not what you expected?”

Harry shook his head. “I expected you to say Slytherin.”

“Ah, Slytherin would probably suit me quite well, only I don’t think it would’ve been good for me.”

Harry grinned, he was so glad that Dumbledore was back. Despite the secrets and riddles, he had missed him. He didn’t think Slytherin would suit Dumbledore at all, maybe when he was young, but not anymore.

Next, they visited the kitchens and the Hufflepuff common rooms, which Harry thought Ron would be jealous of, because it was so close to the kitchen. They had ran into a couple professors getting their classes ready for the start of the school year, which began in only four weeks. If Harry did get the job he would have to scramble to get his lessons ready.

They ended the tour in the dungeons. The Sytherin’s common room looked the same as Harry remembered. Elegant, with the water colors trickling in through the large windows, with a view of the lake. It was surprisingly the most artistic of the common rooms.

Snape was in the potions room, refilling supplies. His lips pursed at the sight of Harry, but he returned Harry’s polite greeting.

“Hello, Professor Snape.” Harry greeted, happy to see Snape alive, even if he was an unpleasant arse.

“Mr. Potter, welcome to the staff of Hogwarts.” Harry grinned and wondered how much it pained him to say that.

“Wonderful, Severus. I hope you and all the staff will try to help out Mr. Potter as much as possible. The first year is always tough.”

Did this mean he had the job?

“Of course, Albus.” Snape agreed, but his attention was back on his potion ingredients and Harry thought it unlikely that he would receive any help voluntarily from Snape.

“Give your mother my regards, Mr. Potter.” Snape said as Harry was leaving. Harry paused in the doorway. He hadn’t even had time to think about his parents. Were they alive? His mind was so busy, he didn’t even pay attention to where they were going next.

“Ah, Tom. I hope you don’t mind us interrupting. I was giving Harry a tour as a part of his interview.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

Harry’s head shot up. Tom was sitting behind his desk, looking as confident and tidy as Harry remembered. On instinct, Harry pulled his wand out and gripped it in his right hand. Dumbledore and Tom both looked at his wand questioningly, but neither commented.

“You are busy, Headmaster, if it would make things easier, I could perhaps finish Mr. Potter’s tour for you and then bring him to your office when we are finished.” “If you don’t mind Tom, that would be helpful, I’ve a lot of paperwork to finish. I never knew how much paperwork was involved in running a school until I became Headmaster. I need to hire a secretary, been saying it for years, but I always think ‘I’ve managed this long.’”

Harry wanted to grab Dumbledore’s sleeve and say, ‘Don’t leave me alone.’ But his mouth wouldn’t work, all he could do was grip his wand a little tighter, as his heart beat faster and faster the closer Dumbledore got to the door.

Once the door clicked behind him, Tom stood up from behind his desk. “You can put your wand away and take a seat. It looks like you have a few questions.”

Harry continued to stand, frozen to the spot.

“Or you can stay standing.” Tom’s smile was unsettling, it reminded him of a mixture between the smile on the picture he had sent him and the smile Lord Voldemort had given him in the graveyard after he was able to successfully touch him. Tom came out from behind his desk and walked slowly towards Harry. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, handsome and most importantly sane. Harry looked away, it was too overwhelming to look directly at him. He looked down at his wand and willed his hand to put it away into his robe pocket.

“That’s a start.” Harry nodded, still unable to speak. “Harry.” Tom’s voice sounded gentle. “You are trembling, come sit down.”

Harry, to his horror, realized that his hands were shaking, he gritted his teeth and through pure determination and will, forced himself to look up and stand taller. “I’m fine. You are a professor here, what subject do you teach?”

“Defense Against the Dark Arts. I taught you for seven years, I’m guessing you don’t remember yet.”

Harry shook his head.

“You will, it will just take time for your mind to accept the new memories as reality.”

Harry tried to recall sitting in his class, he thought he could almost see an image, but he couldn’t put any context to it.

“Imagine how thrilled I was when I first spotted you entering the hall for the first time, Harry Potter. I never did know your last name, but I recognized you from the picture you sent.”

“How are you still young?” Harry asked, Tom should be in his seventies.

“Through a blending of a variety of transfiguration spells, potions and a spell I invented.”

Harry scowled, “No dark magic?”

Tom smiled, “Perhaps a few of the spells may be considered dark, but nothing soul damaging, they are more gray than anything.”

“That’s good.” Harry smiled for the first time, starting to be able to feel relief. This had been the goal after all. There was nothing he needed to be nervous about, only happy.

Tom mirrored Harry’s smile. Right before pulling Harry towards him by the front of his robes and pressing a kiss to his lips. Harry thought Tom must live to keep him on his toes, because as soon as he put his guard down, he did the unexpected. Tom’s breath mixed with his and Harry’s mind just kind of shut off. Unable to focus on more than the feel of Tom’s lips and the taste of his tongue toying playfully against his lips, instead of forcing its way into his mouth. Tom nipped at Harry’s bottom lip once, before pulling away.

“Has your world been turned upside down?” He whispered.

It had, but Harry refused to admit it. Instead, he swallowed the incoherent blabbering and noises that almost escaped and asked, “Did you ever master your patronus?” Pleased by how calm his voice sounded.

Harry’s response seemed to humor Tom. He took a step back from Harry, giving him his space back, a smirk on his face and a gleam in his eyes that showed he was entertained. “Of course, I managed that by the end of my fifth year. Do you want to see it?”

“Yes.” Harry couldn’t help the excitement that washed over him. It was almost like no time had passed between them and Harry was back in the safety of his bed, writing to Tom.

“Expecto Patronum.”

Harry didn’t know what he was expecting Tom’s patronus to be, but what was sitting in front of him wasn’t it. It’s not that he thought Tom’s patronus would necessarily be a snake, but…

Harry cocked his head to the side. “It’s a kitten.” The fluffy ball sitting calmly in front of Harry just seemed absurd.

“It’s not what anyone expects.” Tom shrugged, it was such a normal movement that Harry couldn’t recall ever seeing Lord Voldemort or Diary Tom ever make. “It sort of reminds me of you.” A light blush formed at the tops of Tom’s cheeks. “It can be very vicious when it needs to be.” Tom assured, making his face serious as if that would make up for the fact that he was blushing.

“It’s a kitten.” Harry repeated. “A cuddly, adorable kitten.”

Tom huffed and cancelled the spell, the kitten disappeared into a puff of blue smoke.

The laugh building up inside Harry died when his eyes met Tom’s. He didn’t feel like laughing anymore, he honestly couldn’t say how he felt. Happy at seeing Tom alive and able to make a patronus, it was proof he had changed. Along with confusion and so much fear. He was terrified by the sharp look Tom was giving him that reminded him so much of Lord Voldemort, he couldn’t erase his memories, even when the new changes caught up and took precedence in his mind, he would never forget, but most terrifying was the fluttering in his stomach.

“I don’t know…” Harry thought he was speaking words.

“Harry.” Tom put his wand away and Harry expected him to take a step closer, but he did the opposite and took a step back. “Relax. You are thinking too hard. I can practically hear your brain getting ready to crack.”

Easier said than done.

“I’m supposed to finish your tour. Let’s go outside and get some air and take a walk around the lake. Maybe, stop by and see Hagrid. Would you like that?”

“Alright, that might help.”

Tom’s smile sure didn’t. It had the opposite effect of relaxing, making Harry’s heart beat faster and his chest tight. Tom put a hand softly on his shoulder to lead him through the door and Harry ran into the door frame.

“Sorry.” Tom apologized. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It didn’t startle me, I just wasn’t expecting it. It’s not a bad thing, I mean, I don’t mind you touching me, not that I want you to touch me...Merlin, I sound like a basket case.”

“I’ve always expected you might be.” Tom teased and Harry noted his hand was still lingering somewhere between his shoulder and his back. Harry got the impression that Tom was enjoying watching him come apart. “That’s okay.” Harry could feel Tom’s breath against his ear.

“Fresh air! The day’s perfect for it.” Harry blurted, he really was an awkward mess.

“Mhm.” Tom agreed, thankfully removing his hand so that Harry could finally start thinking again.

“Tom, what teaching position am I interviewing for?”

Tom gave a soft laugh. “You went an entire interview and don’t know. Gryffindors really can be quite impressive with their ability to go along with anything and still land on their feet, or maybe that’s just you.”

“I tried to ask Hermione, but she thought I was joking.”

“You will be teaching Muggle Studies.”

“Muggle Studies? I didn’t see myself teaching that class.” Harry admitted. He had always pictured himself teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts or possibly flying, but he supposed he could probably teach a bunch of kids that know nothing about muggles, a few things they don’t know.

“With your mother being muggle born, you have equal knowledge of both muggles and magics. You will be a good professor for the subject.”

Harry froze at the mention of his mother again. “I haven’t seen her yet.” He said quietly.

Tom came to a stop next to him, it was funny that he was the only one that could understand Harry at the moment. “Wait a few days before going to see her, to let yourself remember and process first.” Harry met Tom’s eyes and he didn't know what Tom saw in them, but his face went pale. Tom had his hand out as if to pat him on the back for comfort, but it froze and fell limp back at his side.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“For what?”

Tom looked surprised by the question. “For everything.”

“But you didn’t do anything.”

“I could have though...would have.”

Harry shrugged. “We have a new start. Now, how about that fresh air?”

“Of course, darling.”

Harry smirked, “Sarcasm at a time like this?”

“Would you prefer dear or perhaps sweetie?”

“I would prefer Harry, just Harry.”

“Still a prude, I see.”

“I’m not a prude.” They continued to joke back and forth and before Harry knew it, they were out the door and Harry was remembering how easy it was talking to Tom. All he needed was time and they had plenty of that.

 

Harry flooed back to the flat he was apparently sharing with Hermione and Ron, after another awkward moment where he had to ask Dumbledore if he knew the address where Harry lived. He didn't know if Dumbledore had believed his story about never having flooed there before, because he normally apparates, but he read Harry the address on his application and pretended that Harry's question was a normal one.

"How'd it go mate?" Ron asked from the sofa. He had stacks of papers spread out on the coffee table and he looked like he was about to go cross-eyed from staring at them too long.

"Pretty good, considering I got the job."

"They already told you?" Ron asked, his face didn't know if it wanted to be happy or disgruntled and the mixture wasn't an attractive expression.

"Yeah. I think we are going to need a bigger coffee table." Harry pulled out a thick stack of his own papers, that outlined the requirements for each grade level. This seemed to cheer up Ron. It was true, misery really did love company. 

"I hate it when Hermione is right." Ron frowned down at the papers in front of him. "Who'd a thought that there'd be so much writing involved in applying to be a bloody auror. I have to write five different essays and fill out a stack of forms as thick as a book. Might as well be writing an autobiography." Ron held up one of the pieces of paper to show the fine print covering both sides. "Who's even reading all this?"

"I warned you that there was a lot of paperwork involved in becoming an auror and once you become an auror it doesn't get any better. You will have to write reports after every case." Hermione entered the room carrying a tray stacked with snacks. "How did your interview go, Harry?"

Ron began to roll his eyes, but then he caught sight of the snacks. "Snacks! Thanks Hermione." Ron reached over his paperwork for a thin sandwich.

"I got the job." Harry told her joining Ron and Hermione. "This is great, Hermione, I haven't had a chance to eat all day."

"We should go out for dinner to celebrate." Ron suggested. "Don't give me that look. I will have earned a much needed break by then." 

"I didn't give you a 'look'. I think that's a great idea."

"Er, I sort of already have plans for dinner tonight. Maybe tomorrow?" 

Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry questioningly. Then Hermione smiled, "Your family probably wants to take you out tonight. We can do dinner tomorrow."

"We can get some drinks too." Ron suggested.

"Actually, Tom...Professor Riddle invited me over for dinner." Harry mumbled low, as if he spoke softly enough his friends wouldn't hear.

"You're having dinner with Professor Riddle?" Ron and Hermione both asked at the same time. Ron looked dumbfounded and Hermione looked excited.

"It's not a date or anything. He just offered to have me over to discuss...things."

"Mate, no one thought it was a date. At least not until you suggested it."

"Harry, are you going on a date with Professor Riddle?!"

"No, I just said it wasn't a date."

Green flames came to life in the fireplace and Harry was thankful for the distraction. Harry didn't know why Blaise Zabini of all people was flooing into his shared living room, but he was happy to see him nonetheless. 

"I guess we beat Ginny here." He said, flashing the friendly smile Harry was becoming familiar with.

"Move over Blaise. It's pour etiquette to stand in the way of the floo, I'm practically on top of you." Harry couldn't see Malfoy behind Blaise, but he recognized his put upon whine.

Harry and Ron shared an annoyed look and Ron shoved another sandwich in his mouth to keep from saying anything.

"Ginny should be here any minute. Said she was coming over right after practice and that she had some exciting news." Blaise gave the group another grin. "She wanted to see if you lot wanted to go out to dinner."

"Harry has a date." Ron announced and Harry was so close to hexing him.

_Pop!_

"Bloody Hell Ginny!" Ron exclaimed, almost knocking the entire tray off the table. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" 

Sweat justice.

"If you weren't in such bad shape you wouldn't have to worry. Yum sandwiches." She plucked two sandwiches off the tray. "Good you two are already here. Where's Astoria?"

"She's going to meet us at the restaurant." Malfoy explained.

"Then I'll wait and tell my news until dinner. Is everyone coming?"

"Harry has a date tonight." Blaise informed her.

"It's not a date." Harry said, but no one seemed to hear him.

"Who would date that?" Malfoy asked, pointing at Harry, in all his messy glory.

"Hey." Harry protested.

"Who are you going on a date with?" Ginny bounced over to Harry, draping an arm around his shoulders.

"Professor Riddle." Hermione answered, before Harry could say for a fourth time that it wasn't a date.

"Yeah right." Malfoy snorted, as if Tom was way out of Harry's league.

"I said that he invited me over for dinner. I never said it was a date. For the record I said it wasn't a date." Harry gave his friends pointed looks.

"What kinds of _things_ are you going to talk about?" Hermione asked. "You said you were going over there to talk about things."

"I don't know. School things and probably magic theory or something. Tom is as bad as you, wanting to discuss the newest book he's read."

"Tom?" Ron mouthed to Hermione and Ginny.

"Now that I'm a professor myself, most the other professor's said that I could call them by their first names."

"Congratulations Harry!" Ginny threw her arm around Harry again and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Thanks. What is your news?"

"I got the starting position." She beamed.

"We are going to go out for drinks tomorrow to celebrate." Harry said.

"Of course we will." Ginny left Harry's side and took Blaise by the hand. "I suppose we need to get going if I'm going to be ready in time for our reservations and Harry I want to hear all the details about tonight." She gave Harry a wink before apparating her and Blaise away.

"I'll be there too. I want to hear about how you made a complete idiot out of yourself."

"Sod off, Malfoy." Both Harry and Ron said together. Malfoy flipped them the bird, right before flooing away.

"Bloody git." 

Something didn't change.

"I'm going to go shower and change." Harry announced.

"Okay." Harry could hear the smile in Hermione's voice. "If you're going to wear muggle clothes, wear that green button up." 

Harry rolled his eyes, but he knew he would listen to her. He didn't trust himself to be able to pick something out.

In his room, on instinct he wanted to write to Tom. That morning he had been unable to find the parchment and he didn't think tearing apart his room would uncover it. He would miss it, but he had changed everything he wanted to and now he had Tom in person. Their relationship wasn't anonymous anymore.

 

 

 


	12. 10.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Section: Non-Date

Harry tried to be as quiet as possible while sneaking through the living room and up the stairs to his bedroom. The clock on the wall had read 4 o’clock, time had really gotten away from him. He supposed that happens when you fall asleep. Hopefully, he had more luck sneaking into his flat than he had trying to sneak out of Tom’s. 

He had thought he was being quiet gathering up all his clothes.

“Aww, the first time sneaking out of someone’s bed. Isn’t it sweet how quickly they grow up?”

Harry let out a startled squeak and dropped his pants. “I was not sneaking out. I was trying not to be rude and wake you up.”

“Somewhere pressing you have to be this early on a Saturday morning?”

“No, I just...I don’t want my friends to know that I stayed over night.”

Tom leaned up on an elbow, an evil gleam in his eyes and for once, his hair a complete mess. It did odd things to Harry’s composure. “Don’t want your friends to know how easy you are?”

“I’m not easy!” Harry protested. “It’s...see, I told them that I was coming over for a non-date dinner and if they catch me returning at this time of the morning, then they will give me a hard time about it.” 

“I never said anything about dinner.” Tom repeated.

Harry had showed up at Tom’s apartment at 8 o’clock sharp, starving, only to find that Tom had no food in the house.

“Who invites someone over in the evening and doesn’t even provide a few snacks and refreshments?”

“Who eats dinner at 8 o’clock? That is an unhealthy eating time.” 

“Lots of people. People that aren’t stuck in the 1960’s for instance. What time do you eat dinner, 4 o’clock?”

Tom’s evil gleam was gone and replaced with a scowl. Harry forgot that Tom didn’t like people poking fun at him. “It’s better for your digestive system to eat earlier.” Tom explained, looking uncertain for once and perhaps Harry was a sadist, because he found the look more appealing than he should have. 

It had been somewhere between two and three at that time, but Harry had found himself crawling back into the bed as if unable to stop himself. 

And now it was 4 in the morning and if he thought it would be hard to explain coming home at 2, 4 was a lost hope.

“I’m guessing the undate dinner went well.” Harry turned to see Ron grinning from cheek to cheek. He looked down at his watch and tapped a foot as if he were his mother waiting for one of her children to return home.

Harry let out a groan. Perfect.

“It was a non-date, no dinner apparently.” Harry mumbled. “I’m bloody starving. Since you’re up and I don’t have to try to be quiet, I’m going to make something to eat.”

“I could eat something.”

“When can’t you eat something?” Hermione asked, scaring both Harry and Ron. This was turning into a family discussion. Exactly what Harry was wanting to avoid.

“Might as well call Ginny, Blaise and bloody Malfoy over, so no one’s left out.” Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “And people say girls are dramatic.” She pushed past Ron and Harry, leading the way back down stairs. “Come on, I’ll make some tea and I think there’s a few sandwiches still left in the cold box.”

“I need more than a few sandwiches. I think I could eat an entire cow.”

“That pizza place is open 24hrs, we could get delivery.” Ron suggested. Harry’s stomach echoing down the hall was answer enough. “Worked up an appetite, did ya?”

Harry could hear Hermione choking on a giggle in front of him. 

“I told you, no dinner. He didn’t even have snacks or refreshments. He’s a completely horrible host.”

“If it was so horrible mate, than why’d you stay until 4 in the morning?”

“Er…the view.” 

Hermione paused on the last step, turning to shake her head at Harry. “The view?”

“It’s all I could come up with.” Harry admitted, knowing it was the lamest excuse ever. “We talked a whole bunch, though.”

“Hmm.” After making a disbelieving sound, she turned back to continue leading the way to the kitchen. “What did you two talk about? You mentioned discussing magical theories before you left.”

“All sorts of things, from spell inventing to transformation spells, to some more personal topics.”

 

Pizza ordered and sitting around the table drinking tea, Harry told his friends about some of what he and Tom talked about, leaving anything out that had to do with the changes he made.

“Do you remember the soulmate spell we did in sixth year?”

“Yes.” Hermione flashed a smile at Ron, that was the year they officially started dating. Harry blinked, he actually remembered that. It had been sickening watching them flirt with each other the rest of the year. Not that he wasn’t happy to see his two friends finally get together and for the jealous fights to be over.

“Well, I didn’t receive a letter and I had never known who my letter went to. Tom told me that he got it, but he didn’t say anything with me being a student, he said he thought it inappropriate.”

Ron sputtered on his tea. “Professor Riddle is your soulmate?” Harry rolled his eyes. “I know you don’t believe in soulmates, but he really got your letter?”

“Yep, he showed it to me.” 

“He kept it?” Hermione asked, “That’s so sweet.” She gushed.

“Not you, too! You’re supposed to be the rational one.”

“Your parents are going to flip when they find out you are seeing an older man.” Ron sat up as if he was hoping he was around to see his parents’ reactions. “My mom’s gonna flip too.”

“No one is going to flip.” Hermione assured. “Harry is a grown up and he can date whoever he wants.”

“Thank you, Hermione.” Hermione gave a pleased smile, as if she hadn’t been expecting his thanks.

“Moms don’t care how old you are. My mom about ripped the earrings out of Bill’s ears when he came home with them pierced and he was twenty-five.”

“I wasn’t planning on telling anyone for a while.” Harry gave both his friends a hopeful look. “It would be nice to not make things awkward, starting a new job and family butting in. Give the relationship some space to...to…”

“Grow.” Hermione added helpfully.

Harry nodded his head. This was crazy, he was in a relationship. With Tom Riddle! 

“This is so weird.” Harry put his hands over his face. He was starting to form images in his head of Tom teaching, giving him detention, helping him with questions about an assignment. His new life without being the Chosen One and somehow, it made it even stranger.

“We won’t say anything.” Hermione shot Ron a warning look that told him bad things would happen if he accidentally breathed a word about this to anyone.

“Thanks.” Harry grinned. This was strange, but good.

“So, did you really bang our Professor?” Ron asked.

“Ron! That is none of our business.” 

Harry’s reddening face was probably all the answer they needed.

“What? I’m not asking for details. I just want to know if it happened.” Ron looked at Harry expectantly.

“We’re taking it slow.” Harry answered, his face without hope of losing color anytime soon.

“So you really did stay up talking until 4 in the morning?” Ron looked mystified at the idea.

“Well...not exactly.” 

Ron just looked confused now.

“Listen mate, would Witch Weekly still consider you a virgin or not?” 

The doorbell rang and Harry knocked over his chair, in his hurry to go answer it.

“Stop pressing. You’re embarrassing him.” Harry heard Hermione whisper.

“What’s to be embarrassed about? I wasn’t embarrassed about telling him that we had sex.” Harry waited… “Ow, Hermione stop hitting me.” There it was. He shook his head and answered the door.


	13. Happy Ever After?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter. Thank you everyone for sticking with me throughout this fiction and being so supportive. I had so much fun writing this and reading everyone's comments. I will definitely continue to write and post new stories in the future. I am currently in the editing process of an original work so I will probably take a short break to finish up that and then I will be back to working on more fanfiction.
> 
> A big thanks to Crystallocks and KwasHERE for betaing for me.

"Found you, hiding in the professor's lounge."

"I have papers to grade and I find the noise in the great hall distracting."

"Here." Harry placed a large heart shaped cookie on top of the papers he was trying to grade. "I baked this for you in class today." Harry said, placing an arm around Tom’s shoulder as if they were buddies, instead of lovers. Not that anyone knew what they were to each other, the other teachers may suspect, but they kept their suspicions to themselves.

The cookie was iced with pink and had ‘Tom’ written in the middle in green.

“The rest of the school year, we are covering muggle cooking. Yesterday, the kids learned about microwaves.” Harry removed the warmth of his arm and took the seat next to him. “They had trouble understanding that it wasn’t magic.” Harry grinned up at Tom. He seemed to be having fun with his first year of teaching muggle studies.

“No more bicycle obstacle courses this week, then?” Tom broke off the corner of his cookie.

“No, we are done with muggle transportation, but I do have that extra credit field trip this weekend.” Harry’s eyes got bigger and Tom knew he was going to ask him something. “A lot more students signed up for it than I expected and Albus said that I need to find another teacher to accompany me for student accountability.”

“As if Dumbledore has ever cared about student accountability before.” Tom huffed, thinking about the abundance of ridiculous things he’d seen during his time teaching.

“Do you know how to ride a bike?”

“Yes, Harry. I know how to ride a bike.”

“Great.”

“That doesn’t mean that I want to spend one of my days off riding around on a hard seat, spending extra time with students I don’t necessarily like.”

“If you don’t like children Tom, then why did you become a teacher?”

“I don’t know.” Tom said, even though he did know. He liked teaching most of the time.

Harry grinned. “It will be fun and you will also be spending the day with me. Besides it can hardly make your arse any sorer than…”

“Please don’t finish your sentence, Mr. Potter.” Snape came flouncing into the room, slamming his tray down onto the staff table. Now, he was someone that didn’t like kids and Tom could never figure out why Dumbledore had hired him. He was amazing at potions, but he wasn’t very good at teaching them.

“Hi, Snape.” Harry greeted.

“What goes on in your private lives should be just that, private. It’s bad enough that the other staff is forced to see you give googly eyes at each other, we certainly don’t need to hear talk about what goes on in the bedroom.”

Tom was absolutely sure he had never made googly eyes at anyone in his entire life, for Severus to even suggest it meant that Tom was losing his touch. He cast a dangerous look Severus’s way.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Snape. I have been giving Tom lessons on flying and after riding a broom for a couple hours, places end up sore.” He gave Tom a flirtatious wink. “After my lesson on bicycles, I’m thinking of starting my own line of brooms that have padded seats on them. Honestly, it’s sad, the lack of innovation that the wizarding world has sometimes.”

Tom still wanted to hex Severus, but Harry’s comment made an uninvited smirk appear on his face and he could feel some of his anger slipping away.

“And Tom making googly eyes.” Harry snorted, “I’d pay money to see that.”

Severus looked up from his food, “He’s making them right now.” He said in a dry tone and Tom schooled his features and clutched his wand.

“No, that’s just the look he gets when he’s getting ready to hex someone.”

Tom had a moment of pleasure at the uncertain expression that flashed across Severus’s ghostly face.

“I just remembered. I need to go talk to Pomona about seeing if the new batch of Baneberry is ready.” He swept his tray back up and his hair to the side and made his way to the door.

“Snape. Wait, I made you a cookie.” Harry pulled a second cookie off the plate, it was the shape of a cauldron.

“I don’t like cookies, Potter.” Snape snapped. Tom narrowed his eyes and felt his jaw clench. “But, I will make an exception this time. A cauldron, how...cute.” Snape added, in as nice of a voice as Snape could make his voice sound, which wasn’t very.

“I think I’m growing on him.” Harry said, turning back to Tom to flash him a smile.

“He’s an unpleasant arse. I don’t know why you bother.” Tom said, taking another corner of his cookie. Harry was actually better at muggle cooking than cooking with magic.

Harry shrugged. “He’s friends with my mom and she made me promise to try and get along with him.”

“She should’ve made him make the same.”

“Oh, she did, this is him trying. Once, I showed her one of the essays he graded on Christmas Holiday, that had some not so nice comments and suggestions. She flooed over to the school right then and there. It was night and day after that.”

“I’ve always liked Lily Evans.”

Harry got a sheepish look on his face. “That’s good, because I kind of sort of told my mom I was seeing someone and she demanded I bring you over for dinner this Sunday. Not you personally, she doesn’t know it's you I’m seeing, yet.”

“I thought you didn’t want to tell anyone?” Tom didn’t care one way or the other.

“I didn’t at first, because I wanted to give us a chance to get to know each other first.”

“And now you think you know me?” Tom couldn’t help but lean forward a little. It was so easy to get a rise out of Harry.

Harry shook his head, a few messy strands falling into his face. Tom reached a hand out to brush them aside, but instead ended up pulling on them teasingly.

Harry was in his arms in no time, Tom took advantage of his closeness by pressing kisses along his cheekbone. If only Snape saw them now, he would really have some complaints. He didn’t want to, but Tom pulled away, snogging Harry in the Staff Lounge wasn’t professional and wouldn’t do anything good for Tom’s reputation.

“So, bicycling Saturday and dinner at my parents’ on Sunday?” Harry asked, trying to sound calm, but the flush up his neck and face gave away that he wasn’t.

“Yes, I suppose I will help you with your field trip, but you owe me.”

Harry grinned and shook his head with complete trust. Tom still didn’t know what to think about Harry sometimes, but he knew he wanted to keep him.

“I can’t believe we only have a couple weeks left of school. My first year flew by. It’s going to be strange moving back in with Ron and Hermione.”

“Then, don’t.”

“I suppose I could afford my own place, it’s just...I guess I don’t know about living by myself.”

“I was suggesting you move in with me.” It was best to be straightforward, otherwise Harry would miss the point.

“Oh.” Harry’s eyes got big, as if he was getting ready to panic over something stupid.

“You will end up being at my place all the time anyway. Might as well have your own closet and cook for me.”

“Is that the only reason you want me to move in, so that I can cook for you?”

“No, there’s other things you do much better than cooking.”

Harry had his mouth open, ready to continue his rant, but snapped it shut.

“I suppose, I will just end up staying all the time.” Harry admitted.

Tom nodded his head. “I know.”

Harry still looked uncertain. “You don’t think it’s too soon?” He chewed on a fingernail, a nervous habit of his.

“No. I think you’ve stayed overnight in my room while at school ninety percent of the time. It would be strange to go back to sleeping alone.”

“That’s true. Yeah, okay. I guess we’re moving in together, then.”

Harry bounced forward and placed a kiss on Tom’s lips. “See you later tonight.” He promised, then was heading out the door, in a warl of energy.

“Sorry, Minnie.” He apologized, letting Minerva pass by him. “Oh, I made you a cookie.” Harry pulled a cat shaped cookie off the plate he had picked back up.

“Thank you, Harry.” She said, looking at Harry affectionately. Once he was out the door, she turned her gaze on Tom, all affection was gone, Tom only got looks of disapproval from her lately.

“Keep your opinion to yourself. I don’t want to hear it.” Tom said and went back to eating his cookie and grading his papers.

“Hmm. He’s practically still a baby.” She muttered to herself.

“I’ll let Harry know you think so.” Tom said, without even looking up.

“You would.” She muttered, placing her own stack of papers on the table across from him. “Just because you look young, doesn’t mean you should be taking advantage of nineteen year olds. Inappropriate is what it is.”

“Perhaps, but the sex is great.” Tom gave Minerva an evil grin. “Maybe, you should find a younger man, knock some of the cobwebs out of…”

“Tom! You are shameless.” Minerva looked scandalized. “You two are a bad influence on each other.”

“I’ll let Harry know you think so.” Tom could see Minerva scowling towards him out of the tops of his eyes, but he could also see her mouth twitch.

“The closer we get to the end of school, the worse the essays get.” Minerva commented.

“They have the attention span of a grape.”

They continued to grade the rest of their papers in silence, except for the occasional scratch of a quill.

 

***Over Summer Vacation

Harry dropped the diced vegetables and sausage into the pan to saute, he’d add the eggs later. His feet and chest were bare as he padded around the kitchen, feeling happy and relaxed.

“Smells good.” Tom’s voice drew Harry’s attention away from the stove, his eyes falling on a fully dressed and tidy Tom.

“What are you doing? How am I supposed to bring you breakfast in bed if you are already up and dressed?” Harry placed the spoon down and joined Tom, leaning against the island, looking more awake and ready than Harry.

“I suppose we will eat at the table like normal people do.”

Harry leaned into Tom, trapping him against the island. “Also, you are way too put together for a weekend. I need to fix that, for starters, then I’ll work on getting you back into bed.” Harry wound his hands into Tom’s hair, messing up the well placed strands, his other hand twisting into his tightly tucked shirt at his waist, all the while placing a line of kisses up his neck.

Tom whispered a spell and the spoon began stirring the food on the stove. “You are going to burn my breakfast.”

“I love it when you talk practicality to me.” Harry’s fingers had managed to make contact with the smooth skin under Tom’s shirt, his lips moving to nibble on Tom’s ear. Harry heard Tom speak a few more spells, causing Harry to sigh and start to pull away. “I will finish breakfast.”

He only made it a few inches away before Tom gripped his arm tightly and Harry found himself to be the one that was pressed against the island, partially lifted up onto it, with the full weight of Tom’s body pressed hard against him. His mouth moving over his, muffling the groan that Harry released. Tom was a very good kisser.

Harry yanked Tom’s shirt completely out and had magiced nearly all the buttons undone, except one stubborn button mid-stomach. Tom was whispering other spells that Harry hadn’t known existed, until Tom had came into his life, he had probably made them up, but they felt oh so good. Harry was panting and ready to drag Tom back to the bedroom if he had to, when they were interrupted. A single knock was their only warning.

“Harry. We are in dire need of your presence today.” Sirius was saying.

Harry could hear his dad behind him, “We can’t just barge in.” But noted that saying that didn’t stop them from doing so. Both paused in the kitchen entry. Tom had managed to step away so that he didn’t look like he was seconds away from having Harry right there in the kitchen, but his tidy appearance was gone and Harry was still short of breath and flushed and uncomfortable for a couple different reasons.

“Professor.” Sirius greeted, not sounding as embarrassed as he should have.

Harry’s dad nodded his own greeting, looking humiliated enough for both Sirius and himself.

Tom, never losing his composure, calmly asked. “Coffee or tea?” Pulling the spoon out of the air mid-stir to complete the task manually, before putting the kettle on. When he turned back around, Harry wanted to roll his eyes and be impressed at the same time. His shirt was tucked back into his pants, not a wrinkle to be seen.

“That would be perfect, better make mine a double!” Sirius answered for James and himself.

“Harry we need you to fill in for the Quidditch game today. Moony is refusing and the game starts in 30 minutes. Something about the baby teething.” Harry could see his dad rolling his eyes from behind Sirius. “Everyone’s getting married and having children and abandoning me.”

“So much for going back to bed.” Harry muttered to himself. Then sighed. “Fine, at least let me eat first.”

Tom smirked, he seemed to have more patience as long as Harry was being put out more than him.

 

After the game, Sirius dragged Harry to a bike shop and tried to talk him into buying a motorcycle. After that Harry was guilt-tripped into going to see his mom, because he couldn’t spend all day with his dad and not at least come by for five minutes. While visiting for five minutes, the Longbottoms stopped by, bearing gifts from their recent trip to China. The gift being a Ruby Locust tree, which was angry at being transplanted across the world and took all of them to plant it.

Harry made it home in time for dinner, but it seemed fate was determined to not allow Harry to be able to get Tom into bed until it was actually bedtime and by that time Harry was pooped.

“Well, you’ve finally managed it. What are you going to do now that you’ve got me here?” Harry buried his head under his pillow in response.

Tom patted Harry’s stomach and when Harry peaked around the edge of his pillow, he could see Tom smirking from behind the book that he was magically reading. “You could at least pretend that you are disappointed.”

“That would be the same as lying, dear.”

Harry rolled closer to Tom, coming up on an elbow to swat at his book. “You could actually be a little disappointed.” Bringing his mouth down to press against Tom’s.

Tom returned the kiss. “Goodnight, Harry.” He said, pushing Harry gently back to rest on his own pillow and side of the bed. “I’m not disappointed because I know you had fun today and we will have many more days for you to try and surprise me with breakfast in bed.”

“That sounds like a challenge.” Harry couldn’t help but feel content at the moment, despite his day not going as planned, it had been a good day.

Tom arched an eyebrow in response.

“A challenge that I am willing to accept. Riddle, you are going to be surprised with breakfast one day and then, I am going to keep you in bed until at least noon.”

“Noon? Someone's awfully confident in their abilities.”

Harry nodded, grinning like a fool.

“We’ll see.” Harry could see Tom was grinning as well from behind his book, before he gave in and closed his eyes.

 

Harry’s dreams should have been filled with Quidditch and his family, or Tom his Tom. Instead he dreamt about Diary Tom and being trapped down in the Chamber of Secrets, with a deadly Basilisk and the Heir of Slytherin. Ginny collapsed on the floor, unconscious and dying, while Diary Tom raptured poetry over his evil schemes and plans of genocide.

“Harry.” Harry peeled his eyes away from Ginny at the sound of his name. Tom, his Tom, was standing a few feet away. He could always tell them apart. Their eyes were different, also his Tom wasn’t sixteen anymore.

“You are having another nightmare. I hate that I’m still what your nightmares consist of.”

“He’s not you.”

“Yes, he is.”

“Why are you in my dream?” Harry asked, instead of arguing.

“Because I wanted to be.” He stepped closer to Harry, drawing more of Harry’s attention from one of his recurring nightmares and the scene of a life that never happened began to fade. By that time, Tom was so close that he was able to pull Harry into his arms and press a searing kiss on his lips, Diary Tom, the basilisk and Ginny had all dissolved. Harry pulled Tom closer, wanting to lose himself into a better dream, a much, much better dream.

“I like these dreams better.” He mumbled against Tom’s mouth.

“Do you have them often?” Tom pulled Harry down to the concrete floor of the chamber. Harry didn’t care where he was anymore.

“Not often enough.” Harry said, pulling Tom’s shirt up over his head. As soon as the shirt was gone, Harry began touching as much skin as he could. Up his waist, his chest, along his collar bone, following the metal chain back down to the center of his chest. Hovering over the Slytherin locket he wore. Harry’s arousal died and a coldness crept over him. This wasn’t right.

He could feel the damp concrete against his back and pulled his hand away from the locket. His Tom didn’t have the Slytherin locket. Tom’s brow scrunched up at Harry’s reaction.

“I didn’t kill anyone to get it, I bought it.”

“You bought a necklace.”

“Yes. I like it.” Tom looked down at it. “Should I not have?”

“It’s fine.” Harry quickly assured. “I just overreacted.”

The mischievous look Tom shot him was enough to fire back up Harry’s libido. He slowly crawled on top of Harry, pushing him back onto the cold floor with both hands. His legs straddling both sides of Harry’s hips. The pressure and warmth of Tom’s body feeling so erotic.  
Tom kept one hand on Harry’s chest, holding him in place, reaching the other one behind him to pull his wand from his back pocket.

“Harry. I love you and I will never let you go.”

“I love you too.” Harry promised, pulling Tom forward, he needed him to be closer, to taste him.  
Tom allowed himself to be kissed, returning it with an enthusiasm that he didn’t always show. He usually kissed like he did everything, with practiced precision. Graceful movements as if he were casting a spell instead of losing himself in passion. Tom’s sloppy, urgent kisses were driving Harry to another level.

The urgent kiss was gone so suddenly. Harry was left confused in a panting state of desire, his hand desperately trying to pull Tom near once again.

Tom cast a spell and Harry’s hands were magically bound above his head. Harry let out a groan, Tom was going to be the death of him one day.

“You make me lose control.” Tom said. Harry couldn’t help but get pleasure out of how unsteady and breathy he sounded.

“I like it when you lose control.” Harry rocked his hips up.

“There's very little you don’t seem to like.” Tom ran the tip of his wand down the front of Harry’s chest, lower and lower, casting soundlessly, Harry knew by the tingles that he felt spreading across his body.

Harry couldn’t speak, he could only let out a whimper, hoping it would express what he needed.

Tom’s wand froze and he looked down, a strange expression on his face that Harry could only define as uncertainty.

“I hope you understand that I can never lose you.” Tom pressed the point of his wand into Harry’s chest, the tip digging in painfully. “ _Anima Petulans Triangulum_ ”

This spell was the opposite of what Harry would describe as pleasurable tingles. It felt like fire burning, starting from his chest and spreading out along every nerve in his body, until eventually there wouldn’t be a single inch of him unaffected. Harry twisted, trying to break free from the magical bonds holding his hands in place and from the weight of Tom on top of him. Both now feeling like a trap. “Stop! Let me up.” Harry pulled at his arms so hard his shoulders were aching.

“Ssshhh.” Tom had lowered his wand and was running his hands through Harry’s hair, murmuring sounds that were meant to soothe him, but none of it was soothing. “I’m sorry, love. I know it hurts.” Harry let out a whimper, as the pain began to choke him. He couldn’t breathe and Tom was still hovering over him. The locket, glowing, his eyes gleaming.

“You’re not my Tom.” Harry said, shaking off Tom’s touch.

“It will pass soon. I promise.”

Harry shook his head, he couldn’t stop shaking his head and muttering to himself, wishing to wake up. He wished he could just go back to the nightmare from before with Diary Tom, that would be better.

“It hurts, but it will keep you with me forever. Don’t you want that?”

Harry didn’t answer, he passed out. He didn’t even know it was possible to pass out in a dream.

 

Harry woke with a start. The sun wasn’t even up yet. In the darkness, he could make out Tom’s form, curled up and sleeping peacefully on his side. Harry’s heart wasn’t pounding exactly, but it felt different. Like someone might feel after having a minor heart attack. He pulled the blankets back and padded quietly to the bathroom. After splashing his face with cool water, he searched his arms and chest for any sign that the dream had left some sort of physical mark. There were none to be found. Just a strange feeling, like something was different and stiff and sore arms.

“It was just a dream.” And a wizard couldn’t cast spells during a dream. But if anyone could, it’d be Tom.

Harry peaked through the door. He often liked to watch Tom sleep, he liked to watch him do just about anything. He had so many sides that Harry felt like he was always seeing something new.  
Harry shook his head and shut off the light. He was being ridiculous. It had been a nightmare, nothing more.

Harry paused on Tom’s side of the bed. He looked beautiful and innocent when he was sleeping, both descriptions Tom would hex Harry for, if he ever spoke them out loud. This was his Tom, not the ones that appeared sometimes in his nightmares. Harry turned away to go back to bed, feeling more calm, only for a slight gleam to catch his eye. Harry looked back and noticed a golden locket clasped to Tom’s neck, the gold glittering in the moonlight coming through the window, against Tom’s pale skin.

 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the end leaves quite a few questions. So I will take a second to try to give a little bit more information on the ending.
> 
> Harry was dreaming. Did Tom actually cast a spell on him while in the dream? Harry isn't for sure, but the evidence is pointing to yes.
> 
> What was the spell he cast on Harry? It is a spell of Tom's own invention and one of the spells he used on himself to make himself immortal. I pictured it as a kind of modified horcrux that instead of splitting off a piece of the soul and trapping it into an object it tethers the entire soul to an object so very similar, but not as self destructive but still dark magic and clearly painful.
> 
> I don't have plans on writing a sequel for this, so sorry for ruining a perfectly good happy ending but I couldn't end it with Tom being completely domesticated. What would be the fun in that?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter of my new project. I have most of the entire story written in a rough draft form so I will be trying to post frequently once each chapter is edited.
> 
> Also comments are welcome. I'd love to hear feedback so that I can continue to improve my writing.


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